Jsh. Gaston et al., IDENTIFICATION OF 2 CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS ANTIGENS RECOGNIZED BY SYNOVIAL-FLUID T-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH CHLAMYDIA-INDUCED REACTIVE ARTHRITIS, Journal of rheumatology, 23(1), 1996, pp. 130-136
Objective. To identify antigens of Chlamydia trachomatis recognized by
synovial T cell clones from patients with reactive arthritis (ReA). M
ethods. C. trachomatis specific T cell clones were isolated from synov
ial fluid of 2 patients with chlamydia induced ReA. The particular ant
igens/epitopes recognized by these clones were identified using T cell
immunoblotting and testing recombinant chlamydial proteins and synthe
tic peptides. Results. Two sets of clones were shown by immunoblotting
to recognize antigens of roughly 60 and 18 kilodaltons (kDa) respecti
vely. By testing recombinant chlamydial proteins these antigens were i
dentified as the 57 kDa heat shock protein and the 18 kDa histone-like
protein, Hc1. Mapping the epitope in Hc1 using synthetic peptides ide
ntified a peptide containing a sequence motif compatible with binding
to HLA-DR1, the restricting antigen for the Hc1 specific clones. Concl
usion. These are the first 2 chlamydial antigens to be identified as t
argets of the synovial T cell response in chlamydia induced ReA. Both
have properties that are shared with target antigens identified in ReA
induced by enteric infection and relevant to the pathogenesis of join
t inflammation.