This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Whittum-Hudson, J A Articles by Taylor, H R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Whittum-Hudson, J A Articles by Taylor, H R

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect Immun. 1989 October; 57(10): 2977-2983

Antichlamydial specificity of conjunctival lymphocytes during experimental ocular infection.

Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.

ABSTRACT

Antigen-specific responses to chlamydiae have been demonstrated with lymphocytes isolated from the conjunctiva after primary ocular infection and after topical challenge of chlamydia-immune cynomolgus monkeys with noninfectious, Triton X-100-extracted antigen. Proliferative to viable elementary bodies homologous to the original infecting serovar were demonstrated. In addition, in vitro production of antichlamydial antibody by conjunctival B cells was demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of culture supernatants collected after 7 to 21 days of culture. These findings demonstrate that antigen-specific lymphocytes appear in the conjunctiva as a result of ocular chlamydial infection and that a noninfectious chlamydial antigen stimulates their reappearance or expansion at the site of original infection.