Construction of models for persistent genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in mice with low serum iron / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To construct a model for persistent genital tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in mice with low serum iron. Methods Iron deficiency was induced in female BALB/c mice by lowiron diet. Mice with or without iron-deficency were inoculated intravaginally with direct instillation of 50 μl of bacterial suspension containing 3.4344 × 107 IFU/ml of C. trachomatis serovar E elementary body 1 week after intramuscular injection of progesterone. Moxifloxacin and ferrous sulfate, alone or in combination were given to inoculated mice with iron deficiency daily for 1 week. Subsequently, vaginal discharge was obtained from mice and observed under an immunofluorescence microscope, and tissue specimens were resected from the uterus,uterine tube and ovary of mice and subjected to pathological examination at various time points. Results Compared with normal-iron mice, iron-deficient mice were infected with C. trachomatis for a longer duration (more than 18 weeks). After 18-week infection with C. trachomatis, there was an obvious chronic inflammation and lymphocytic infiltration in tissues specimens from the uterus,uterine tube and ovary of mice. Immunofluorescent examination of vaginal discharge for C. trachomatis turned negative in 60% of iron-deficient mice treated with both moxifloxacin and ferrous sulfate, but not in any of those receiving moxifloxacin or ferrous sulfate alone. Conclusion As animal models show, low serum iron may contribute to the persistent genital tract infection with C. trachomatis.