title: Frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis-specific T cell interferon-γ and interleukin-17 responses in CD4-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sexually active adolescent females.
abstract: An evaluation of CD4 T cell responses to candidate Chlamydia trachomatis vaccine antigens was conducted in an adolescent female cohort exposed through natural infection to explore antigen immunogenicity and correlation with protection from reinfection. The frequency of peripheral blood CD4 T cell IFN-γ and IL-17 responses to three candidate vaccine antigens, polymorphic membrane protein G (PmpG), F (PmpF), and major outer membrane protein (MOMP), were determined by ELISPOT; responses to chlamydial heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and to elementary bodies (EB) were included for comparison. Responses of Infected (n=8), Seropositive/Uninfected (n=13), and Seronegative/Uninfected (n=18) participants were compared. The median CD4 IFN-γ response to EB was significantly increased in Infected (P=0.003) and Seropositive/Uninfected (P=0.002) versus Seronegative/Uninfected female subjects. Higher rates of positive IFN-γ responders to EB, PmpF, and MOMP were detected in Seropositive/Uninfected versus Seronegative/Uninfected participants (P=0.021). IL-17 responses were generally low. A positive IFN-γ response to any of the antigens tested was associated with a trend toward a reduced risk of reinfection, although not statistically significant. Among this adolescent cohort, chlamydial-specific CD4 IFN-γ but not IL-17 responses were detected in acutely and previously infected participants and a positive CD4 IFN-γ response was associated with a non-significant reduced risk of reinfection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barral
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Frazer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Gina S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sucato
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Haggerty
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zurenski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA. Electronic address: toni.darville@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darville
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018272:Porins / Q000276:immunology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D020381:Interleukin-17; C410161:PmpG protein, Chlamydia trachomatis; D018272:Porins; C071677:omp1 protein, Chlamydia trachomatis; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Antigen; Genital; Immunity; Pelvic inflammatory disease; Th1; Th17