Chlamydial heat shock protein 60--specific T cells in inflamed salpingeal tissue.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of chlamydial heat shock protein 60 (CHSP60)-specific T-lymphocytes in tubal factor infertility.

DESIGN: Case series of patients with tubal factor infertility.

SETTING: Infertility Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Laboratory of Cell-Mediated Immunity, National Public Health Institute, Oulu, Finland.

PATIENT(S): Five patients with tubal factor infertility who underwent elective salpingectomy because of hydrosalpinges.

INTERVENTION: Collection of salpingeal tissue specimens for in vitro culture of T-lymphocytes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Cloning of Chlamydia trachomatis and CHSP60-specific T-lymphocyte lines derived from inflamed salpingeal tissue. Cytokine production analysis of the established T-lymphocyte clones.

RESULT(S): Seventy-seven (34%) of the 229 T-lymphocyte clones recognized C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae elementary bodies as target antigens. One-third of these Chlamydia genus-specific T-lymphocyte clones further recognized CHSP60 as the target antigen. Most of the CHSP60-specific T-lymphocyte clones produced predominantly IL-10.

CONCLUSION(S): CHSP60 may be an important T-lymphocyte antigen involved in the immunopathogenesis of tubal damage associated with chronic C. trachomatis infection.