title: Chlamydia pneumoniae enhances the Th2 profile of stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asthmatic patients.
abstract: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a cause of respiratory infection in adults and children. There is evidence for an association between atypical bacterial respiratory pathogens and the pathogenesis of asthma. We compared T helper (Th) responses in C. pneumoniae - infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with or without asthma. PBMC (1×10(6)/mL) from asthmatic patients (N=11) and non-asthmatic controls (N=12) were infected or mock-infected for 1h +/- C. pneumoniae TW-183 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI)=1 and MOI=0.1, or cultured for 24h +/- Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-12, Interferon (IFN)-gamma and total IgE levels were measured in supernatants (ELISA). C. pneumoniae infection led to an increase (>50%) of IgE levels in PBMC from asthmatics, compared with mock-infected on day 10; IgE wasn't detected in non-asthmatics. C. pneumoniae - infected PBMC from asthmatics increased levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma after 24h, compared with PBMC alone; levels of IL-10 and IL-12 were low. When uninfected-PBMC from asthmatics were LGG-stimulated, after 24h, IL-4 was undetectable, but IL-10, IL-12, and IFN-gamma increased, compared with PBMC alone. Thus, C. pneumoniae infection has the ability to induce allergic responses in PBMC of asthmatics, as evidenced by production of Th2 responses and IgE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States; Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States. Electronic address: tamar.smith-norowitz@downstate.edu.
authors.forename: Tamar A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Smith-Norowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Kobkul
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chotikanatis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Erstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perlman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Yitzchok M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Norowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States; Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Rauno
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joks
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States; Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Helen G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Margaret R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hammerschlag
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States; Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohlhoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Asthma; C. pneumoniae; IgE; T helper cytokines