Pneumonia Due to Chlamydia trachomatis in the Immunocompromised (Nude) Mouse

Abstract

Athymic nude mice (nu/nu) were significantly more susceptible to pneumonia due to the agent of mouse pneumonitis (MoPn), Chlamydia trachomatis, than their heterozygous (nu/+) littermates, as judged both by a greater mortality and a decreased ability to rid their lungs of the infection. Nu/nu mice did not produce significant antibody to the MoPn agent, whereas nu/+ mice did. Thymic transplantation rendered nu/nu mice significantly more resistant to the MoPn agent than nu/nu controls. Resistance to the MoPn agent and production of specific antibody to the MoPn agent were dependent on thymus-derived cells.

Vaccination with major outer membrane protein proteosomes elicits protection in mice against a Chlamydia respiratory challenge

“…To determine the protective activity of these formulations, we choose the well-established mouse respiratory challenge model [25, 38-40]. The results of the three parameters that we used to determine protection, body and lung weights and number of IFU in the lungs, showed good correlation.…”

Hidden in Plain Sight: Chlamydial Gastrointestinal Infection and Its Relevance to Persistence in Human Genital Infection

“…C. muridarum was also developed as a model by Williams et al to study chlamydial respiratory infection and has been used extensively over the years to study the immune response in the lung (17). C. muridarum was first isolated from the respiratory tract of mice and was maintained by serial passage of lung suspensions in mice (18)(19)(20); however, attempts to demonstrate horizontal transmission by the respiratory route were unsuccessful (21).…”

Secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by epithelial cells in response to Chlamydia infection suggests a central role for epithelial cells in chlamydial pathogenesis.

“…Thus, neutrophils are recruited in large numbers to the site of infection, and are capable of killing accessible EBs, probably due to efficient fusion of lysosomes with Chlamydia -containing phagosomes, and release of myeloperoxidase and oxidants (12,13). In addition, T cells accumulate at the site of Chlamydia infection and play a critical role in controlling the infection (8,14), whereas B cells do not appear to be important for resolving infection in some models (15). In most cases, the host response to primary infection is transient and not associated with long-term tissue damage (7).…”