Abstract:

Ma Chunguang, Zhu Huiling, Zhang Xinyue, Chen Mukai, Han Jiande Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China （Ma CG, Zhang XY, Chen MK, Han JD）; Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China （Zhu HL） Corresponding author: Han Jiande, Email: hanjd_gzb@21cn.net 【Abstract】 Objective To investigate differences in Rab protein s in McCoy cells with acute versus persistent Chlamydia trachomatis （Ct） infection. Methods Cultured McCoy cells were infected with different amounts（400, 500, 550 μl/well） of Ct strain D suspensions , then cultured with the medium containing 100 U/ml penicillin G （persistent Ct infection groups） or that without penicillin G （acute Ct infection groups）. Ct-uninfected McCoy cells receiving no penicillin G treatment served as the blank control group, and those receiving penicillin G treatment as the penicillin group. After 48-hour culture, McCoy cells were lysed, proteins were collected, and total RNA was extracted from the cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was conducted to measure protein levels of Rab4A, Rab6A, Rab10, Rab11A and Rab14, and fluorescence-based quantitative PCR to quantify mRNA s of Rab4A and Rab14 （expressed as 2-ΔΔCt）. Results Protein levels of Rab4A, Rab6A, Rab10, Rab11A and Rab14 were all significantly lower in the acute than in the persistent Ct infection groups （all Z = 3.621, P < 0.001）, and lower in the persistent and acute Ct infection groups than in the blank control group （all P < 0.008 3）, but insignificantly different between the blank control group and penicillin group （all P > 0.05）. In addition, the s of Rab4A and Rab14 mRNAs were consistent with those of their proteins in these groups. Conclusion The transcriptional and levels of Rab proteins are higher in McCoy cells persistently infected with Ct than in those acutely infected with Ct.