Blockade of epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) abrogates infection of Chlamydia muridarum murine genital infection model.
New methods are needed to eradicate or prevent Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Blockade of epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) by genetic silencing or neutralizing polyclonal antibody reduced chlamydial infectivity in vitro. This study tests the prediction that recombinant anti-EMP2 diabody could reduce early chlamydial infection of the genital tract in vivo. In a murine infection model, pretreatment with anti-EMP2 diabody, as compared with control diabody, significantly reduced bacterial load, tissue production of inflammatory cytokines, recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and local tissue inflammation. These findings support EMP2 as a potential preventative and therapeutic target for genital chlamydial infection.
Shimazaki
Kaori
K
Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Chan
Ann M
AM
Moniz
Raymond J
RJ
Wadehra
Madhuri
M
Nagy
Agnes
A
Coulam
Catherine P
CP
Mareninov
Sergey
S
Lepin
Eric M
EM
Wu
Anna M
AM
Kelly
Kathleen A
KA
Braun
Jonathan
J
Gordon
Lynn K
LK
D000818:Animals; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D023502:Chlamydia muridarum / Q000276:immunology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
D016207:Cytokines; C113388:Emp2 protein, mouse; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins