title: Early local cytokine profiles in strains of mice with different outcomes from chlamydial genital tract infection.
abstract: In this study, we expand on the examination of genetically determined differences in host responses that correlate with clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis from the genital tract. We infected C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H/HeN mice with the mouse pneumonitis agent of C. trachomatis (MoPn). C57BL/6 mice had the shortest course of infection (22 days) and the lowest incidence of severe hydrosalpinx. BALB/c mice also had a short course of infection (25 days), but all developed hydrosalpinx. C3H/HeN mice had the longest course of infection (38 days), and all developed severe hydrosalpinx. Determination of local cytokine responses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of genital tract secretions revealed that the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) were significantly increased in the C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains compared to those in the C3H/HeN strain whereas the level of IL-6 was not different. The level of the neutrophil chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) was increased during the first week of infection in all three strains but was significantly higher in the BALB/c strain, the strain with the most rapid influx of neutrophils into the genital tract. Prolonged detection of MIP-2 in C3H/HeN mice was associated with a protracted presence of neutrophils in the genital tract. Early increases in the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta are associated with earlier eradication of infection in the C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains than in the C3H/HeN strain. Increased levels of MIP-2 and neutrophils in BALB/c and C3H/HeN mice relative to C57BL/6 mice suggest that these responses may contribute to pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock 72202, USA. darvilletonil@exchange.uams.edu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darville
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sikes
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Fraley
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Rank
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D018925:Chemokines; C404915:Cxcl2 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor