A 12-month follow-up of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 primary vaccination: evidence from a real-world study

A real-world population-based longitudinal study, aimed at determining the magnitude and duration of immunity induced by different types of vaccines against COVID-19, started in 2021 by enrolling a cohort of 2,497 individuals at time of their first vaccination. The study cohort included both healthy adults aged ≤65 years and elderly subjects aged >65 years with two or more co-morbidities. Here, patterns of anti-SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cell-mediated specific immune response, assessed on 1,182 remaining subjects, at 6 (T6) and 12 months (T12) after the first vaccine dose, are described. At T12 median anti-Spike IgG antibody levels were increased compared to T6. The determinants of increased anti-Spike IgG were the receipt of a third vaccine dose between T6 and T12 and being positive for anti-Nucleocapside IgG at T12, a marker of recent infection, while age had no significant effect. The capacity of T12 sera to neutralize in vitro the ancestral B strain and the Omicron BA.5 variant was assessed in a subgroup of vaccinated subjects. A correlation between anti-S IgG levels and sera neutralizing capacity was identified and higher neutralizing capacity was evident in healthy adults compared to frail elderly subjects and in those who were positive for anti-Nucleocapside IgG at T12. Remarkably, one third of T12 sera from anti-Nucleocapside IgG negative older individuals were unable to neutralize the BA.5 variant strain. Finally, the evaluation of T-cell mediated immunity showed that most analysed subjects, independently from age and comorbidity, displayed Spike-specific responses with a high degree of polyfunctionality, especially in the CD8 compartment. In conclusion, vaccinated subjects had high levels of circulating antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein 12 months after the primary vaccination, which increased as compared to T6. The enhancing effect could be attributable to the administration of a third vaccine dose but also to the occurrence of breakthrough infection. Older individuals, especially those who were anti-Nucleocapside IgG negative, displayed an impaired capacity to neutralize the BA.5 variant strain. Spike specific T-cell responses, able to sustain immunity and maintain the ability to fight the infection, were present in most of older and younger subjects assayed at T12.

In Vitro Modelling of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in the Etiopathogenesis of Male Infertility and Reactive Arthritis

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate, intracellular bacterium responsible for a range of diseases of public health importance, since C. trachomatis infection is often asymptomatic and, hence, untreated, leading to chronic complications, including prostatitis, infertility, and reactive arthritis. The ample spectrum of diseases caused by C. trachomatis infection is reflected in its ability to infect and multiply within a wide range of different cell types. Cervical epithelial cells, to date, have been the most studied cellular infection model, highlighting the peculiar features of the host-cell inflammatory and immune responses to the infection. Herein, we provide the up-to-date evidence on the interaction between C. trachomatis and human prostate epithelial, Sertoli and synovial cells.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in SARS-CoV-2- and Chlamydia pneumoniae-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases

Throughout the years, a growing number of studies have provided evidence that oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of infectious agent-related cardiovascular diseases. Amongst the numerous respiratory pathogens, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus responsible for the global ongoing pandemic, and Chlamydia pneumoniae, a widely known intracellular obligate bacteria, seem to have an essential role in promoting reactive oxygen species and cytokine production. The present review highlights the common oxidative and inflammatory molecular pathways underlying the cardiovascular diseases associated with SARS-CoV-2 or C. pneumoniae infections. The main therapeutic and preventive approaches using natural antioxidant compounds will be also discussed.

In-cell western assay as a high-throughput approach for Chlamydia trachomatis quantification and susceptibility testing to antimicrobials

Chlamydia trachomatis, the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases in developed countries, with around 127 million new cases per year, is mainly responsible for urethritis and cervicitis in women, and urethritis and epididymitis in men. Most C. trachomatis infections remain asymptomatic (>50%) and, hence, untreated, leading to severe reproductive complications in both women and men, like infertility. Therefore, the detection of C. trachomatis as well as the antimicrobial susceptibility testing becomes a priority, and, along the years, several methods have been recommended, like cell culture and direct immunofluorescence (DFA) on cell cultures. Herein, we described the application of In-Cell Western assay (ICW) via Odyssey CLx as a fast, more accessible, and high-throughput platform for the quantification of C. trachomatis and the screening of anti-chlamydial drugs. As a first step, we set up a standard curve by infecting cell monolayers with 2-fold serial dilutions of C. trachomatis Elementary Body (EB) suspension. Then, different unknown C. trachomatis EB suspensions were quantified and the chlamydial susceptibility testing to erythromycin was performed, using the DFA as comparison. Our results showed a very high concordance between these two assays, as evidenced by the enumeration of chlamydial IFUs as well as the determination of erythromycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). In conclusion, the ICW assay may be a promising candidate as an accurate and accessible methodology for C. trachomatis antimicrobial susceptibility testing.