Urethral cytokine and immune responses in Chlamydia trachomatis-infected males.
Penile urethral swabs collected from PCR-confirmed Chlamydia trachomatis-infected, C. trachomatis-uninfected, and non-C. trachomatis-infected, nongonococcal urethritis-infected males were analyzed for cytokine, total immunoglobulin (Ig), and specific antibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Differential cellular components of the swab transport medium were also enumerated for the same groups. Although low, the levels of C. trachomatis-specific IgA and IgG antibodies and interleukin 8 cytokine were significantly higher in C. trachomatis-infected individuals. There were no significant differences in the levels of seven additional cytokines evaluated.
Pate
M S
MS
Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Jefferson County Department of Health, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. mspate@uab.edu
Hedges
S R
SR
Sibley
D A
DA
Russell
M W
MW
Hook
E W
EW
Mestecky
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014521:Urethra / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016209:Interleukin-8; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins