title: Vaccination with the defined chlamydial secreted protein CPAF induces robust protection against female infertility following repeated genital chlamydial challenge.
abstract: We previously have shown the efficacy of recombinant (r) chlamydial protease-like activity factor (CPAF) vaccination against hydrosalpinx development following primary genital chlamydial challenge. In this study, we evaluated further the protection induced by rCPAF vaccination against infertility. Following primary challenge, fertility levels were not significantly different between the mock- and CPAF-vaccinated and Chlamydia alone challenged mice. However, following secondary genital chlamydial challenge, mock (PBS) immunized mice displayed a significant reduction of fertility compared to age-matched naïve mice, while mice vaccinated intranasally with rCPAF+CpG displayed significant prevention of infertility. These results suggest that hydrosalpinx may be a reliable indicator of impending infertility, and that rCPAF is a promising candidate to prevent infertility resulting from repeated genital chlamydial infections.
authors.affiliation: South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.
authors.forename: Ashlesh K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: Weidang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M Neal
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Guentzel
authors.forename: Guangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Bernard P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Arulanandam
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D010450:Endopeptidases; C425923:CPA factor