Dendritic cell function and pathogen-specific T cell immunity are inhibited in mice administered levonorgestrel prior to intranasal Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

ABSTRACT: The growing popularity of levonorgestrel (LNG)-releasing intra-uterine systems for long-acting reversible contraception provides strong impetus to define immunomodulatory properties of this exogenous progestin. In initial in vitro studies herein, we found LNG significantly impaired activation of human dendritic cell (DCs) and their capacity to promote allogeneic T cell proliferation. In follow-up studies in a murine model of intranasal Chlamydia trachomatis infection, we analogously found that LNG treatment prior to infection dramatically reduced CD40 expression in DCs isolated from draining lymph nodes at 2 days post infection (dpi). At 12 dpi, we also detected significantly fewer CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the lungs of LNG-treated mice. This inhibition of DC activatio

SUBMITTER: Quispe Calla NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5125275 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature