title: Chlamydia trachomatis enters a viable but non-cultivable (persistent) state within herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) co-infected host cells.
abstract: Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that double infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and Chlamydia trachomatis occurs in vivo. We hypothesized that co-infection would alter replication of these agents. To test this hypothesis, HeLa cells were infected with C. trachomatis serovar E, followed 24 h later by HSV-2 strain 333. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses indicated that, by 10 h after HSV addition, reticulate bodies (RBs) in co-infected cells were swollen, aberrantly shaped and electron-lucent. In infectious titre assays, HSV-2 co-infection abrogated production of infectious chlamydial progeny. Western blot analyses indicated that accumulation of chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) was decreased by HSV co-infection while accumulation of chlamydial heat-shock protein 60-1 (HSP60-1) was increased. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments indicated that chlamydial genome copy number was unaltered by HSV-2 superinfection. Semi-quantitative, reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) experiments demonstrated that levels of chlamydial groEL, ftsK, ftsW, dnaA and unprocessed 16S rRNA transcripts were not changed by HSV-2 super-infection. These data indicate that HSV-2 superinfection drives chlamydia into a viable but non-cultivable state, which is the hallmark of persistence. Because chlamydial HSP60-1 has been associated with immunopathology in vivo, these results also suggest that disease severity might be increased in co-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Srilekha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deka
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanover
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dessus-Babus
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whittimore
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Howett
authors.forename: Priscilla B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Wyrick
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Schoborg
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000378:metabolism; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000378:metabolism; D015163:Superinfection / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S