title: 60-kDa heat shock protein of Chlamydia pneumoniae promotes a T helper type 1 immune response through IL-12/IL-23 production in monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
abstract: Infection, in particular by Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp), has been associated with atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Immune reactions to heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been advocated to link infection to atherosclerosis and its acute sequelae based on molecular mimicry with host HSPs. We have here evaluated the role played by recombinant Cp-HSP60 and Cp-HSP10 for their ability to induce maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) and T cell polarization. Cp-HSP60, but not Cp-HSP10, induced a strong MDCC maturation, as assessed by the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and other markers. Secretion of regulatory cytokines and enhancement of antigen presenting ability of mature (m)MDDC toward a clear T helper (Th) 1 pattern were also induced by Cp-HSP60. An analysis of the IL-12 cytokine family demonstrated that Cp-HSP60-matured MDDC were able to express p35 and p40 mRNA subunits to form IL-12, and p19 and p40 subunits to form IL-23. Thus, preferential Th1 polarization of immune response induced by Cp-HSP60-matured MDDC appears to be due to the concomitant expression of IL-12 and IL-23. Our data suggest that Cp-HSP60-matured DC may contribute to T-cell mediated immunopathology of atherosclerosis via a chronic stimulation of Th1 immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic, and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299-00161 Rome, Italy. ausiello@iss.it
authors.forename: Clara Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ausiello
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spensieri
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciervo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassone
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018834:Chaperonin 60; C508840:IL23A protein, human; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins; D018664:Interleukin-12