title: Chlamydia pneumoniae promotes dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells.
abstract: The human pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae has been implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases including type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we designed a study to evaluate pancreatic beta cells and mast cells during chlamydial infection. Our study revealed that C. pneumoniae infected mast cells significantly (p<0.005) decreased beta cell ATP and insulin production, in contrast to uninfected mast cells co-cultured with beta cells. Infected mast cells exhibited pyknotic nuclei and active caspase-3 and caspase-1 expression. Additionally, ex vivo analyses of tissues collected from C. pneumoniae infected mice showed increased interleukin-1β production in splenocytes and pancreatic tissues as was observed with in vitro mast cell-beta cell co-cultures during C. pneumoniae infection. Notably, infected mast cells promoted beta cell destruction. Our findings reveal the negative effect of C. pneumoniae on mast cells, and the consequential impact on pancreatic beta cell function and viability.
authors: RCMI Biophotonics Core, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: Annette R
authors: AR
authors: Rodriguez
authors: RCMI Nanotechnology and Human Health Core, Department of Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: Germán
authors: G
authors: Plascencia-Villa
authors: RCMI Biophotonics Core, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: Colleen M
authors: CM
authors: Witt
authors: South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: Jieh-Juen
authors: JJ
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: José-Yacamán
authors: South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: James P
authors: JP
authors: Chambers
authors: UTSA Neurosciences Institute, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Perry
authors: South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States.
authors: M Neal
authors: MN
authors: Guentzel
authors: South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, United States. Electronic address: bernard.arulanandam@utsa.edu.
authors: Bernard P
authors: BP
authors: Arulanandam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D053148:Caspase 3; D020170:Caspase 1
keywords: Beta cells; Insulin; Mast cells; Obesity; Type 2 diabetes