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Infection and Immunity, January 2002, p. 345-349, Vol. 70, No. 1
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.1.345-349.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Chlamydia pneumoniae Secretion of a Protease-Like Activity Factor for Degrading Host Cell Transcription Factors Is Required for Major Histocompatibility Complex Antigen Expression

Peiyi Fan, Feng Dong, Yanqing Huang, and Guangming Zhong*

Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229

Received 19 July 2001/ Returned for modification 14 August 2001/ Accepted 25 September 2001

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a causative agent for many respiratory infections and has been associated with cardiovascular diseases in humans. The pathogenicity of C. pneumoniae is thought to depend on its ability to cause persistent infection and to evade host defense. Genome sequence analysis indicates that C. pneumoniae encodes a homologue of a chlamydial protease-like activity factor from C. trachomatis (CPAFct). We designated the C. pneumoniae homologue as CPAFcp. Recombinant CPAFcp was produced and found to degrade RFX5, a host transcription factor required for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression. The degradation was inhibitable by lactacystin, an irreversible proteasome inhibitor. Furthermore, CPAFcp was secreted into host cytosol by C. pneumoniae organisms. Depletion of the C. pneumoniae-secreted CPAFcp with specific antibodies completely ablated the RFX5 degradation activity in the infected cells, suggesting that CPAFcp is necessary for the degradation of host transcription factors required for MHC antigen expression during C. pneumoniae infection. These observations have revealed a unique molecular mechanism for C. pneumoniae to evade host adaptive immunity that may aid in its persistence.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229. Phone: (210) 567-1169. Fax: (210) 567-0293. E-mail: Zhongg{at}UTHSCSA.edu.

Editor: E. I. Tuomanen

Infection and Immunity, January 2002, p. 345-349, Vol. 70, No. 1
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.1.345-349.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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