title: Endometrial leukocyte subpopulations associated with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis genital tract infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to characterize endometrial inflammation associated with common genital tract pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of the study was the immunohistochemical characterization of the endometrial leukocyte subpopulations from 37 controls and 45 women infected with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or Trichomonas vaginalis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with uninfected women, endocervical infection with C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, or T vaginalis was associated with significant increases in endometrial T cells, B cells, plasma cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Even more substantial increases in T cell, B cell, and plasma cell numbers were detected among women infected endocervically and endometrially with C trachomatis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because lower genital tract C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, or T vaginalis infections were associated with comparable increases in the same endometrial leukocyte subpopulations, our results suggest the underappreciated involvement of T vaginalis in upper genital tract inflammatory processes. The more robust inflammatory infiltrate associated with C trachomatis endometrial ascension may offer insight into host inflammatory responses associated with pelvic inflammatory disease development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Seth D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Reighard
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vicetti Miguel
authors.forename: Rodolfo D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Vicetti Miguel
authors.forename: Mamatha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chivukula
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krishnamurti
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Cherpes
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007962:Leukocytes; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis