Anti-C. trachomatis MOMP polyclonal antibody [Biotin]

This paper describes the characterization and taxonomic status of N16, a chlamydial isolate from the respiratory tract of a horse. N16 contains plasmid DNA, has normal elementary body morphology and its inclusions do not stain with iodine. Its major outer-membrane protein (MOMP) gene was completely sequenced and compared with the MOMP genes of Chlamydia pneumoniae, C. psittaci, C. trachomatis and C pecorum. This analysis revealed that N16 is closely related to the TWAR strain of C pneumoniae (94.5 % and 94.4 % DNA homology with TWAR isolates IOL-207 and AR-39 respectively). By comparison, N16 shows between 72.1 % and 73.7 % DNA homology with C. psittaci strains, 70.9 % and 71.1 % homology with C. pecorum strains LW613 and 1710S and 69.2 % homology with C. trachomatis serotype E. The MOMP gene of N16 shares 93-8 % DNA homology with the MOMP gene of a chlamydial isolate KC from the conjunctiva of a koala. Monoclonal antibodies raised to C. pneumoniae IOL-207 and shown to be C. pneumoniae-specific confirmed that N16 was more closely related to C. pneumoniae than to C. psittaci. Thus DNA homology and monoclonal antibody data both suggest that horse chlamydiae, as exemplified by N16, form a new second strain of C. pneumoniae. This species is probably more widespread and diverse than the current literature would suggest.

Chlamydia trachoma's, an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen, is the major cause of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Although a variety of strategies have been taken to promote the development of a protective vaccine, no ideal vaccine has been generated so far In this study, we transfected dendritic cells (DCs) with recombinant adenovirus carrying C. trachomans serovar E major outer membrane protein gene (Ad-MOMP), and investigated their ability to induce specific protection against genital tract chlamydial challenge infection The results showed that when DCs were transfected with Ad-MOMP in vitro, the DCs exhibited increased expression of CD80 and MhC-II molecules as well as enhanced IL-12 secretion and were able to stimulate T-cell proliferation The level of IFN-gamma secreted by stimulated T cells was also up-regulated significantly When the Ad-MOMP transfected DCs were adoptively transferred intravenously to naive mice, they generated Th1-biased cytokine production and mucosal 12A responses specific for C. trachomatis More importantly, the mice immunized with Ad-MOMP-DC mounted protection against genital tract challenge infection. shown by lower body mass loss, lower chlamydial loads, and less severe pathological changes. In conclusion, Ad-MOMP transreeled DCs are capable of inducing effective protective immune responses against C trachomatis genital infection