The Role of Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine in Urogenital Chlamydial Infection

• Main Author: Lockhart, Jessica R
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2018
• Subjects: Chlamydia; Acetylcholine; Inflammation; Urogenital Infection; CAP; STI; Bacteria; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Microbiology; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Reproductive and Urinary Physiology; Women's Health
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3522; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4975&context=etd

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These findings suggest that C. trachomatis increases ACh production, which may suppress the host’s immunity and aid in establishing chronic infection.