Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States and continues to spread in the population as >50% of the infected individuals show no overt symptoms and fail to obtain treatment. These untreated chlamydial infections pose a particular health risk in women by leading to severe complications including pelvic inflammation, tubal infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Although a high priority, it has proven difficult to design an effective vaccine for Chlamydia trachomatis. It has been shown that T cells are necessary for immune protection, but they may also contribute to inflammation associated with pathogenesis. Thus, it is of great importance to delineate the roles of immune T cells during infection. Although T cell clones specific for C. trachomatis have been reported, it has been difficult to obtain sufficient numbers of such homogeneous lines to analyze the repertoire of the T cell response to this pathogen. Thus, we have exploited T cell hybridoma technology in order to generate panels of cloned helper (CD4 +) and cytotoxic (CD8 +) T cells from mice that had been vaginally inoculated with viable Chlamydia trachomatis. The T cell hybridomas will provide us with a unique tool for use in identifying the antigens from C. trachomatis that are capable of eliciting a broadbased T cell response in mice. In addition, through a new collaboration with clinical investigators at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, it will be possible to assess whether T cells from humans infected with Chlamydia respond to the same antigens that were identified in mice.
These aims represent the first time that T cell hybridomas have been used to assess the activation of T cells in response to an infection with viable Chlamydia and should provide important insights into novel approaches for enhancing immunity to C. trachomatis and to other intracellular pathogens.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI058009-03
Application #
7058323
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SSS-F (02))
Program Officer
Hiltke, Thomas J
Project Start
2004-05-01
Project End
2008-04-30
Budget Start
2006-05-01
Budget End
2007-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$320,781
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
800772162
City
San Antonio
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
78229