title: Is lipopolysaccharide a factor in infectivity of Chlamydia trachomatis?
abstract: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major surface component of Chlamydia trachomatis, as with all Gram-negative bacteria. The effect of C. trachomatis LPS on C. trachomatis infectivity of human epithelial cells was investigated. C. trachomatis LPS and C. trachomatis LPS antibody significantly reduced infectivity, mostly in a dose-dependent manner. As the structure of LPS in C. trachomatis is simple and consists only of lipid A and 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo), we investigated whether lipid A or Kdo was inhibitory to chlamydial infectivity. Polymyxin B, as a lipid A inhibitor, and Kdo considerably reduced C. trachomatis infectivity. With all the LPS inhibitors used, there was greater inhibition against serovar E than serovar LGV. These results suggest a role for LPS in chlamydial infectivity. Elucidation of how LPS acts in infectivity and identification of host-cell receptors would help in understanding pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Medical Research, Unit of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
authors.forename: Sanaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.affiliation: Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Medical Research, Unit of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eley
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013400:Sugar Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008050:Lipid A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013400:Sugar Acids; C002532:2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate