CHARACTERISTIC OF EARLY MUCOSAL IMMUNE RESPONSE IN MICE DURING INTRAVAGINAL INFECTION CAUSED BY CHLAMYDIA MURIDARUM

Aim. Comparison of features of recruitment to infection focus of cells mediating early immune
reactions in intravaginally infected mice that had previously received or not received covinan
(progesterone analogue). Materials and methods. A/Sn and BALB/c line mice were used in the
study. C. muridarum strain Nigg infection was carried out intravaginally or intraperitoneally. For
synchronization of sexual cycle a group of mice received subcutaneously a synthetic analogue of
progesterone - proligeston (covinan) at a single dose of 33 mg/kg. Acute urogenital infection was
evaluated by culture method. Quantitative determination of C. muridarum DNA (including study
of persistence) was carried out by real time PCR. Subpopulation structure of cell population of
peritoneal and vaginal lavage was evaluated by flow cytofluorometry. Results. Intravaginal infection
of mice that had not received covinan resulted in a pronounced recruitment of cells into vaginal
cavity at 24 hours after the infection. Influx of neutrophils, dendritic cells and T-lymphocytes was
especially pronounced. Prior administration of covinan practically nullified cell recruitment to
infection focus though partial preservation of subpopulations of activated dendritic cells and CD8+
T-cells was observed. Conclusion. In mice with artificially induced by progesterone sensitivity to
chlamydias the ability of recruitment to the infection focus of cells that mediate early immune
reactions is reduced, that gives evidence on the importance of these reactions for infection outcome.

Chlamydia, Chlamydia, cytokines, intravaginal infection, progesteron