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Infection and Immunity, November 1999, p. 6048-6055, Vol. 67, No. 11
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

De Novo Induction of Atherosclerosis by Chlamydia pneumoniae in a Rabbit Model

Ignatius W. Fong,1,* Brian Chiu,2 Esther Viira,2 Dan Jang,3 and James B. Mahony3

Departments of Medicine1 and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,2 St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, and McMaster University, Hamilton,3 Ontario, Canada

Received 3 March 1999/Returned for modification 26 April 1999/Accepted 4 August 1999

Chlamydia pneumoniae, a bacterial respiratory tract pathogen, has been associated with atherosclerosis in humans. C. pneumoniae infection of the respiratory tracts of rabbits fed a noncholesterol diet induced changes of atherosclerosis of the aorta in 6 (26.1%) of 23 animals after a single inoculum at 3 months. Multiple inocula given three times within 6 weeks resulted in grade III atherosclerosis in 8 (34.8%) of 23 rabbits, with an additional 5 (21.7%) showing increased myxoid changes in the intima-media junction and exhibiting 8 (34.8%) focal periaortitis. Control animals inoculated with carrier broth (n = 24), HEp-2 cells (n = 12), or another respiratory pathogen, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n = 32), produced no changes of atherosclerosis after 3 months. The histological changes were dissimilar (fewer foam cells) from those of rabbits fed a 0.5% cholesterol diet but were highly similar to or indistinguishable from changes in rabbits fed a 0.15% cholesterol diet (similar to that of humans). Proinflammatory cytokines and tissue growth factors were more consistently detected in cholesterol-induced aortic lesions than those induced by C. pneumoniae. These data are compatible with de novo induction of atherogenesis by C. pneumoniae in rabbits and suggest that C. pneumoniae may be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in humans.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Room 4179V, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada. Phone: (416) 864-5746. Fax: (416) 864-5310. E-mail: fongi{at}smh.toronto.on.ca.

Infection and Immunity, November 1999, p. 6048-6055, Vol. 67, No. 11
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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