New concepts in Chlamydia induced inflammasome responses

In Silico Identification and Validation of Pyroptosis-Related Genes in Chlamydia Respiratory Infection

The incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis respiratory infection is increasing, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Pyroptosis, as a mode of inflammatory cell death, plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of Chlamydia trachomatis respiratory infection. In this study, the potential pyroptosis-related genes involved in Chlamydia trachomatis respiratory infection were identified by constructing a mouse model of C. muridarum infection combined with bioinformatics analysis. Through in-depth analysis of the RNA sequencing data, 13 differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes were screened, including 1 downregulated gene and 12 upregulated genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that these genes mainly regulate inflammatory responses and produce IL-1β. Protein-protein interaction network analysis identified eight hub genes of interest: Tnf, Tlr2, Il1b, Nlrp3, Tlr9, Mefv, Zbp1 and Tnfaip3. Through quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis, we found that the expression of these genes in the lungs of C. muridarum-infected mice was significantly reduced, consistent with the bioinformatics results. At the same time, we detected elevated levels of caspase-3, gasdermin D and gasdermin E proteins in the lungs of C. muridarum-infected mice, demonstrating that Chlamydia trachomatis infection does induce pyroptosis. We then predicted nine miRNAs targeting these hub genes and constructed a key competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. In summary, we identified six key pyroptosis-related genes involved in Chlamydia trachomatis respiratory infection and constructed a ceRNA network associated with these genes. These findings will improve understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying pyroptosis in Chlamydia trachomatis respiratory infections.

A systematic review of toll-like receptors in endometriosis

INTRODUCTION

The pathogen-associated molecular patterns and the danger-associated molecular patterns are possibly responsible for the activation of the inflammatory process in endometriosis through the activation of toll-like receptors (TLRs).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to critically analyze the findings of published articles on TLRs in endometriosis.

METHODS

The keywords used were "endometriosis" and "toll-like" and the search was performed in Pubmed, Scielo and Lilacs databases. This study followed the PRISMA guidelines and the risk of bias of articles was conducted by Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS).

RESULTS

Overall, the studies analyzed in this review point toward an increased expression of TLRs two, four and nine in women with endometriosis. Among all TLRs, TLR4 was the most cited receptor.

CONCLUSION

Despite the evidence demonstrating elevated TLR levels in endometriosis, the relationship with the disease is still unclear and needs to be clarified in further studies about innate immune response.

Microbiome Profile of Deep Endometriosis Patients: Comparison of Vaginal Fluid, Endometrium and Lesion

This work aimed to identify and compare the bacterial patterns present in endometriotic lesions, eutopic endometrium and vaginal fluid from endometriosis patients with those found in the vaginal fluid and eutopic endometrium of control patients. Vaginal fluid, eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesions were collected. DNA was extracted and the samples were analyzed to identify microbiome by high-throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA marker gene. Amplicon sequencing from vaginal fluid, eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesion resulted in similar profiles of microorganisms, composed most abundantly by the genus Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, Streptococcus and Prevotella. No significant differences were found in the diversity analysis of microbiome profiles between control and endometriotic patients; however deep endometriotic lesions seems to present different bacterial composition, less predominant of Lactobacillus and with more abundant Alishewanella, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas.

Clear Victory for Chlamydia: The Subversion of Host Innate Immunity

As obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens, members of the Chlamydia genera are the pivotal triggers for a wide range of infections, which can lead to blinding trachoma, pelvic inflammation, and respiratory diseases. Because of their restricted parasitism inside eukaryotic cells, the pathogens have to develop multiple strategies for adaptation with the hostile intracellular environment—intrinsically present in all host cells—to survive. The strategies that are brought into play at different stages of chlamydial development mainly involve interfering with diverse innate immune responses, such as innate immune recognition, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, as well as the manipulation of innate immune cells to serve as potential niches for chlamydial replication. This review will focus on the innate immune responses against chlamydial infection, highlighting the underlying molecular mechanisms used by the Chlamydia spp. to counteract host innate immune defenses. Insights into these subtle pathogenic mechanisms not only provide a rationale for the augmentation of immune responses against chlamydial infection but also open avenues for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms driving the survival of these clinically important pathogens in host innate immunity.