The work done in 2006 on Chlamydia has focussed on unravelling the mechanisms of disease, in particular the role of persistent infections and genetic susceptibility determinants in the host. The ultimate goal is to identify high risk patients for tubal factor subfertility by non-invasive means. High sensitive-CRP, as a serologic marker for persisting infections, has been shown to improve the predictive value for tubal pathology when combined with the currently used Chlamydia IgG antibody test. Furthermore, studies into the role of gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility to C. trachomatis infection and development of tubal pathology have been performed in collaboration with the laboratory of Immunogenetics, section Immunogenetics of Infectious Diseases, VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam (Prof. Dr. A.S. Pe?a and Dr S.A. Morré). Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the toll-like receptor (TLR) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) families recognize C. trachomatis and initiate the immune response. Genetic variations in TRL and NOD genes were studied in subfertile women. The results indicate that SNPs are found more often in subfertile women who have had a C. trachomatis infection as compared to subfertile women without previous exposure to Chlamydia. It is hypothesized that genetic variations in PRRs may affect receptor function, leading to inadequate recognition of C. trachomatis and an inadequate immune response, and consequently to an increased risk of persisting infection and tubal pathology.

Figure: Variations in patter recognition receptors (PRRs) may cause inadequate immune responses after C. trachomatis infection.

Research group
Dr. J. Land, project leader
Prof. Dr. J. Evers
Prof. Dr. C. Bruggeman
Dr. F. Stassen 
Prof. Dr. J. Severens
Drs A. Kessels 

PhD students
Drs J. den Hartog,
Drs. A. Fiddelers