C. trachomatis proteomics: Whole genome scale mapping of C. trachomatis protective &pathogenic determinants. Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital tract infection causes inflammatory pathologies in the upper genital tract, which can lead to complications including tubal factor infertility. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms and developing subunit vaccines have been the major focuses in modern chlamydial research. However, knowledge on chlamydial pathogenesis remains limited and there is no effective vaccine. This may be mainly due to limitations in the approaches previously used for analyzing chlamydial antigens. Although these previous approaches have provided useful information, for example, revealing the association of anti-MOMP antibody responses with protective immunity and anti-HSP60 antibody responses with pathogenesis, the results are limited in scope. To make significant advancements in understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms and developing effective subunit vaccines, Dr. Zhong's lab expressed all C. trachomatis open reading frames (ORFs) as soluble fusion proteins and developed a high quality whole genome scale proteome array in the past 5 years. This array has allowed the detection of both linear and conformation-dependent human antibodies. Using this array, Dr. Zhong's lab has mapped the B cell ANTIGENome and identified novel immunodominant antigens of C. trachomatis. In the current grant, Dr. Zhong will use the whole genome scale proteome array to profile the antigen specificities of both antibody and T cell responses in C. trachomatis infected-women and to identify antigens that are associated with pathology or protective immunity. The biological relevance of the identified antigens will be characterized in both cell culture and animal model systems. Both the knowledge gained and reagents accumulated from the proposed studies will be made available to the research community. The information obtained will lay the foundation for both understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms and developing diagnostic reagents and subunit vaccines.

Public Health Relevance

By identifying and characterizing C. trachomatis antigens that are associated with pathology and protective immunity on a whole genome scale, this grant will provide the most advanced knowledge on understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms, developing markers for diagnosing tubal factor infertility and constructing effective subunit vaccines.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI064537-07
Application #
8213426
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IDM-S (02))
Program Officer
Hiltke, Thomas J
Project Start
2005-04-01
Project End
2015-12-31
Budget Start
2012-01-01
Budget End
2012-12-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$371,250
Indirect Cost
$121,250
Name
University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800772162
City
San Antonio
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
78229
Zhong, Guangming (2017) Chlamydial Plasmid-Dependent Pathogenicity. Trends Microbiol 25:141-152
Yang, Zhangsheng; Tang, Lingli; Shao, Lili et al. (2016) The Chlamydia-Secreted Protease CPAF Promotes Chlamydial Survival in the Mouse Lower Genital Tract. Infect Immun 84:2697-702
Conrad, Turner Allen; Gong, Siqi; Yang, Zhangsheng et al. (2016) The Chromosome-Encoded Hypothetical Protein TC0668 Is an Upper Genital Tract Pathogenicity Factor of Chlamydia muridarum. Infect Immun 84:467-79
Dai, Jin; Tang, Lingli; Chen, Jianlin et al. (2016) The p47phox deficiency significantly attenuates the pathogenicity of Chlamydia muridarum in the mouse oviduct but not uterine tissues. Microbes Infect 18:190-8
Dai, Jin; Zhang, Tianyuan; Wang, Luying et al. (2016) Intravenous Inoculation with Chlamydia muridarum Leads to a Long-Lasting Infection Restricted to the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun 84:2382-2388
Tang, Lingli; Chen, Jianlin; Zhou, Zhiguang et al. (2015) Chlamydia-secreted protease CPAF degrades host antimicrobial peptides. Microbes Infect 17:402-8
Sun, Xin; Yang, Zhangsheng; Zhang, Hongbo et al. (2015) Chlamydia muridarum induction of glandular duct dilation in mice. Infect Immun 83:2327-37
Flores, Rhonda; Zhong, Guangming (2015) The Chlamydia pneumoniae Inclusion Membrane Protein Cpn1027 Interacts with Host Cell Wnt Signaling Pathway Regulator Cytoplasmic Activation/Proliferation-Associated Protein 2 (Caprin2). PLoS One 10:e0127909
Yang, Zhangsheng; Tang, Lingli; Sun, Xin et al. (2015) Characterization of CPAF critical residues and secretion during Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Infect Immun 83:2234-41
Chen, Jianlin; Yang, Zhangsheng; Sun, Xin et al. (2015) Intrauterine infection with plasmid-free Chlamydia muridarum reveals a critical role of the plasmid in chlamydial ascension and establishes a model for evaluating plasmid-independent pathogenicity. Infect Immun 83:2583-92

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