Progesterone Activates Multiple Innate Immune Pathways in Chlamydia trachomatis‐Infected Endocervical Cells. (11th November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wan, Charles; Latter, Joanna L.; Amirshahi, Ashkan; Symonds, Ian; Finnie, Jane; Bowden, Nikola; Scott, Rodney J.; Cunningham, Kelly A.; Timms, Peter; Beagley, Kenneth W.
• Is Part Of: American journal of reproductive immunology. Volume 71:Number 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 165
• Page End: 177
• Publication Date: 2013-11-11
• Subjects: Human reproduction -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; 616.69206
• DOI: 10.1111/aji.12168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1046-7408

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="aji12168-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="aji12168-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Problem</title> <p>Susceptibility to <italic>Chlamydia trachomatis</italic> infection is increased by oral contraceptives and modulated by sex hormones. We therefore sought to determine the effects of female sex hormones on the innate immune response to <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> infection.</p> </sec> <sec id="aji12168-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Method of study</title> <p>ECC‐1 endometrial cells, pre‐treated with oestradiol or progesterone, were infected with <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> and the host transcriptome analysed by Illumina Sentrix HumanRef‐8 microarray. Primary endocervical epithelial cells, prepared at either the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, were infected with <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> and cytokine gene expression determined by quantitative RT‐PCR analysis.</p> </sec> <sec id="aji12168-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p> <italic>Chlamydia trachomatis</italic> yield from progesterone‐primed ECC‐1 cells was significantly reduced compared with oestradiol‐treated cells. Genes upregulated in progesterone‐treated and <italic>Chlamydia</italic>‐infected cells only included multiple CC and CXC chemokines, IL‐17C, IL‐29, IL‐32, TNF‐α, DEFB4B, LCN2, S100A7‐9, ITGAM, NOD2, JAK1, IL‐6ST, type I and II interferon receptors, numerous interferon‐stimulated genes and STAT6. CXCL10, CXCL11, CX<sub>3</sub>CL1 and IL‐17C, which were also upregulated in infected secretory‐stage primary cells, and there was a trend towards higher levels of immune mediators in infected secretory‐phase compared with proliferative‐phase cells.</p> </sec> <sec id="aji12168-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Progesterone treatment primes multiple innate immune pathways in hormone‐responsive epithelial cells that could potentially increase resistance to chlamydial infection.</p> </sec> </abstract>