Role of Chlamydia in Multiple Sclerosis.

Chlamydia and antibodies to them were detected by serological, molecular biological, and culture methods in the sera and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and in the reference groups of subjects without neurological diseases. Correlations between the agent presence in the biological fluids of patients and clinical characteristics of the disease were analyzed. C. pneumoniae were more incident in the biological liquids of patients with multiple sclerosis than in healthy volunteers. On the other hand, the incidence of the agent in the patients was not high and its presence did not correlate with the clinical manifestations. C. trachomatis was equally rare in the patients and volunteers. The studies indicated the existence of a group of patients infected by C. pneumoniae in the cohort of patients with multiple sclerosis, but the impact of this agent for the disease course remains unclear.

[Influence of Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion system on regulation of cytokine response].

AIM: Develop in vitro model for studying production of cytokines by monocyte cells infected with Chlamydia trachomatis mediated by type III secretion system (TTSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Strain C. trachomatis L2/434/Bu was used in the experiments, culture of human monocytes U-937 was infected by this strain. Level of inflammatory cytokines was measured on flow analyzer Bio-Plex 200 (Bio-Rad Laboratories). Low molecular compound LHC-342 which belongs to the class of heterocyclic compounds was used as TTSS inhibitor. RESULTS: 24 hours after the infection with C. trachomatis culture 8 analyzed cytokines are induced in U-937 cells (IL-1beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, TNFalpha). The most pronounced increase was observed for IL-8, GM-CSF and IFN-gamma. Introduction of TTSS inhibitor into the culture of infected cells suppressed chlamydia growth, but addition of FeSO4 restored the growth of chlamydiae. And activity associated with translocation of effector TTSS protein IncA to inclusion membrane was suppressed. Under the conditions of the obtained model of TTSS inhibition during intracellular development of C. trachomatis a significant decrease of 2 pro-inflammatory cytokines--IL-6 and IL-1beta--was observed. CONCLUSION: Cytokine response plays a key role in the protective immune response in chlamydia infection but at the same time induces immunopathologic conditions. The data obtained give reasons to assume role of C. trachomatis TTSS in the induction of this component of immune response that requires further detailed studies.

[New approaches to therapy of persistent infections: elimination of intracellular Chlamydai trachomatis by exposure to low temperature argon plasma].

AIM: Study microbicidal activity of low temperature argon plasma (LTP) that is a stream of partially ionized argon having macroscopic temperature of the environment against Chlamydia trachomatis obligate intracellular parasites. Study viability of host cells in parallel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: McCoy line cells infected with C. trachomatis (Bu-434/L2 strain) were exposed to LTP obtained by using atmospheric pressure plasma SHF generator. Intracellular localization of chlamydiae was visualized by luminescent microscopy. RESULTS: Exposure of infected McCoy line cells resulted in the destruction of chlamydia inclusions and practically complete elimination of intracellular bacteria. At the same time LTP exposure did not result in immediate death of host cells, an insignificant reduction of the number of cells was observed 24 hours after the exposure to LTP. CONCLUSION: The effect of LTP for elimination of intracellular chlamydia without significant changes in viability of eukaryotic host cells was demonstrated.

[Modern aspects of diagnostics of chronic chlamydiosis caused by persisting forms of Chlamydia].

AIM: To study the possible hematogenic route of dissemination of Chlamydia trachomatis and to analyze efficacy of methods of pathogen detection in clinical specimens (sera and scraping material). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultural method, electron microscopy, real-time PCR, immunofluorescent assay. RESULTS: C. trachomatis was detected in blood by using 2 tests (culture and PCR) in 95.2% of patients with confirmed Chlamydia infection. Chlamydia isolated from blood had infectious properties that could point to the presence of weakly studied hematogenic route of dissemination of C. trachomatis in host's organism. Study of diagnostic value of pathogen detection in serum showed that in case of chronic diseases of urogenital tract as well as extragenital diseases, rate of C. trachomatis detection in serum was significantly higher (61.1% of cases compared to 16.7% in scraping material). CONCLUSION: It is the first time when data about possible circulation of C. trachomatis in blood of patients was obtained. Detection of C. trachomatis in serum of patients with chronic and complicated forms of chlamydiosis provides essentially new approach for direct identification of the pathogen irrespectively from localization of infection's locus.

[The apoptosis-supressing activity of clamydia].

The paper covers data from literature, concerning the influence of bacteria upon apoptosis program of host's cells. The mechanisms of apoptosis induction and suppression, developed by bacteria and directed towards the maintenance of conditions favorable to the infection, are quite varied. These mechanisms are realized via complex interaction between biologically active bacterial molecules and particular targets of signal paths which lead to apoptosis. In intracellular parasitism the apoptosis-suppressing activity of bacteria may be considered to be one of the mechanisms of pathogenic organism's persistence which provide favorable conditions for the development of chronic infections. Infection caused by C. pneumoniae in human fibroblasts has been experimentally demonstrated to protect the cells from spontaneous and induced apoptosis.

[Role of Chlamydia, mycoplasma and cytomegalovirus infection in the development of coronary artery disease]. / Rol' khlamidiinoi, mikoplazmennoi i tsitomegalovirusnoi infektsii v razvitii ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa.

AIM: To assess relationship between some infection factors and presence of coronary heart disease. MATERIAL: Patients with myocardial infarction (n=56), unstable angina (n=50), stable angina (n=50) and age - matched controls (n=49). METHODS: Levels of IgG, IgM, IgA antibodies to Chlamydia pneumonia, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia psittaci, IgG, IgM antibodies to Cytomegalovirus, and also of antibodies and antigen to Mycoplasma pneumoniae were measured in blood serum. RESULTS: Compared with controls patients with coronary heart disease had higher frequency of seropositivity to Chlamydia pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia and Cytomegalovirus (p< 0.05 ) and similar levels of seropositivity to Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia psittaci. Infectious burden (quantity of antibodies per one patient) was significantly higher in patients with myocardial infarction, unstable and stable angina than in controls (1.58, 1.42, 1.41 and 0.95, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm presence of association between infection and coronary heart disease.

[Pathogenetic aspects of chlamydia-associated urogenic arthritis: feasibility of microorganism reproduction in cells of articular cartilage]. / O patogeneticheskikh aspektakh urogennykh artritov, assotsiirovannykh s khlamidiiami: vozmozhnost' mikroorganizma razmnozhat'sia v kletkakh systavnogo khriashcha.

AIM: The study of feasibility of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and reproduction. This microorganism is an essential etiologic factor in urogenic arthritis, in chondrocytes and fibroblasts of human skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Infection of human skin chondrocytes and fibroblasts was made with chlamydia CP-1 strain isolated from joint fluid of the patient and serially passaged in the hen's embryo yolksacs. The inoculation results were assessed by direct staining with the use of monoclonal and fluorescent antibodies and hematoxiline. RESULTS: Chlamydial infection of human skin connective tissue, chondrocytes of the auricular cartilage and fibroblasts in particular, is possible. CONCLUSION: The findings confirm the ability of Chlamydia trachomatis to reproduce in the cartilage tissue.