Chlamydia pneumoniae enhanced the expression of ICAM-1 in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigated the effects of Chlamydia pneumoniae (C.pneumoniae) infection on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: After propagated in HEP-2 cells, C. pneumoniae organisms were infected to HUVECs. The infection was assessed by ectromicroscope and PCR. The expression of ICAM-1 on HUVECs was detected by flow cytometry before infection and 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h after infection. RT-PCR was used to detect the ICAM-1 mRNA expression. RESULTS: C.pneumoniae was able to infect cultured HUVECs. After infection, the expression of ICAM-1 on the surface of cultured HUVECs was increased,, the peak was at the time of about 24-48 h; The light quantative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the infection also enhanced the ICAM-1 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: The ability of C.pneumoniae to grow in HUVECs and to stimulate the expression of ICAM-1 protein and mRNA suggests that C.pneumoniae may play a role in atheriosclerosis.