title: Altered protein secretion of Chlamydia trachomatis in persistently infected human endocervical epithelial cells.
abstract: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial infection of the human reproductive tract globally; however, the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of the organism to its natural target cells, human endocervical epithelial cells, are not clearly understood. To secure its intracellular niche, C. trachomatis must modulate the host cellular machinery by secreting virulence factors into the host cytosol to facilitate bacterial growth and survival. Here we used primary human endocervical epithelial cells and HeLa cells infected with C. trachomatis to examine the secretion of bacterial proteins during productive growth and persistent growth induced by ampicillin. Specifically, we observed a decrease in secretable chlamydial protease-like activity factor (CPAF) in the cytosol of host epithelial cells exposed to ampicillin with no evident reduction of CPAF product by C. trachomatis. In contrast, the expression of CopN and Tarp was downregulated, suggesting that C. trachomatis responds to ampicillin exposure by selectively altering the expression of secretable proteins. In addition, we observed a greater accumulation of outer-membrane vesicles from C. trachomatis in persistently infected cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the regulation of both gene expression and the secretion of chlamydial virulence proteins is involved in the adaptation of the bacteria to a persistent infection state in human genital epithelial cells.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Kyla M
authors: KM
authors: Frohlich
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Lyndsey
authors: L
authors: Buckner
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Alison J
authors: AJ
authors: Quayle
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Miao
authors: M
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Xiaogeng
authors: X
authors: Feng
authors: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors: Wandy
authors: W
authors: Beatty
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Ziyu
authors: Z
authors: Hua
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Xiancai
authors: X
authors: Rao
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Maria E
authors: ME
authors: Lewis
authors: Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Sorrells
authors: Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Kerri
authors: K
authors: Santiago
authors: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
authors: Guangming
authors: G
authors: Zhong
authors: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Shen
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D021381:Protein Transport; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010450:Endopeptidases; C425923:CPA factor