Author:
McGowin Chris L.,Annan Rochelle S.,Quayle Alison J.,Greene Sheila J.,Ma Liang,Mancuso Miriam M.,Adegboye David,Martin David H.
Abstract
ABSTRACTInfection withMycoplasma genitaliumhas been associated with male and female urogenital disease syndromes, including urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and tubal factor infertility. Basic investigations of mucosal cytotoxicity, microbial persistence, and host immune responses are imperative to understanding these inflammatory urogenital syndromes, particularly in females, considering the potential severity of upper tract infections. Here, we report thatM. genitaliumcan establish long-term infection of human endocervical epithelial cells that results in chronic inflammatory cytokine secretion and increased responsiveness to secondary Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation. Using a novel quantitative PCR assay,M. genitaliumwas shown to replicate from 0 to 80 days postinoculation (p.i.), during which at most time points the median ratio ofM. genitaliumorganisms to host cells was ≤10, indicating that low organism burdens are capable of eliciting chronic inflammation in endocervical epithelial cells. This observation is consistent with clinical findings in women. Persistently secreted cytokines predominately consisted of potent chemotactic and/or activating factors for phagocytes, including interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β (MIP-1β). Despite persistent cytokine elaboration, no host cell cytotoxicity was observed except with superphysiologic loads ofM. genitalium, suggesting that persistent infection occurs with minimal direct damage to the epithelium. However, it is hypothesized that chronic chemokine secretion with leukocyte trafficking to the epithelium could lead to significant inflammatory sequelae. Therefore, persistentM. genitaliuminfection could have important consequences for acquisition and/or pathogenesis of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and perhaps explain the positive associations between this organism and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) shedding.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Immunology,Microbiology,Parasitology
Cited by
61 articles.
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