Interferon-γ in Endocervical Secretions of Women Infected with Chlamydia trachomatis

Although interferon-γ has been associated with control of chlamydial infections in mice, no direct evidence links it to human chlamydial infections. Therefore, interferon-γ was assayed by ELISA in endocervical secretions and plasma of women cultured for Chlamydia tracnomatis. Women with positive end...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1990-12, Vol.162 (6), p.1385-1389
Main Authors: Arno, Janet N., Ricker, Veronica A., Batteiger, Byron E., Katz, Barry P., Caine, Virginia A., Jones, Robert B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity
Biological and medical sciences
Blood plasma
Cervix Uteri - chemistry
Chlamydia
Chlamydia Infections - immunology
Chlamydia trachomatis
Concise Communications
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Genital Diseases, Female - immunology
Gonorrhea
Humans
Immunobiology
Infections
Inflammation
Interferon-gamma - analysis
Interferon-gamma - blood
Interferons
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Regulatory factors and their cellular receptors
Secretion
Sexually transmitted diseases
Syphilis
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Summary:Although interferon-γ has been associated with control of chlamydial infections in mice, no direct evidence links it to human chlamydial infections. Therefore, interferon-γ was assayed by ELISA in endocervical secretions and plasma of women cultured for Chlamydia tracnomatis. Women with positive endocervical chlamydial cultures had increased levels of mterferon-y in endocervical secretions (6.7 ± 2.8, mean ± SE, n = 47) compared with uninfected women (1.4 ± 0.4, n = 52) (P = .002). Interferon was also present in secretions of women with gonorrhea. Higher levels were seen in secretions from older women with positive chlamydial cultures. Interferon levels in secretions did not correlate with simultaneous plasma levels, the number of organisms recovered in tissue culture, or clinical correlates of inflammation. These data suggest that interferon-α is present at the site of chlamydial infection; however,further experiments are needed to determine whether interferon is specifically involved in protection or is a nonspecific indicator of inflammation.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/162.6.1385