title: Determination of chlamydial load and immune parameters in asymptomatic, symptomatic and infertile women.
abstract: The regulation of immune response and chlamydial infectious load in the cervix of human females is largely unknown. Infectious load in terms of inclusion-forming units (IFUs) was determined by quantitative cultures in Chlamydia-positive women, in asymptomatic women, women with mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC) and women with fertility disorders (FD). CD4(+), CD8(+), CD14(+) cells, myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (mDCs and pDCs) in the cervix were quantified by flow cytometry. Cervical cytokines, levels of beta-estradiol and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum and cervical immunoglobulin A antibody to chlamydial major outer membrane protein antigen, chlamydial heat shock protein 60 and 10 antigens were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In asymptomatic women, chlamydial load showed significant positive correlations with CD4, mDCs, interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-2; however, negative correlations were found with CD8 and IL-8 levels. In women with MPC, chlamydial IFUs correlated positively with CD8, pDC number, IL-8, CRP and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). In women with FD, chlamydial load showed a significant positive correlation with the pDC number, IL-10 and estradiol level and a negative correlation with CD4 and IFN-gamma. Overall, these results suggest that the interplay between chlamydial infectious load and host immune responses may be the deciding factor for the clinical condition presented during Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology-ICMR, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tanvi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vats
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salhan
authors.forename: Aruna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mittal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D004958:Estradiol; D002097:C-Reactive Protein