Imiquimod Does not Affect Shedding of Viable Chlamydiae in aMurine Model ofChlamydia trachomatisGenital Tract Infection

摘要

Objective:We postulated that either oral or vaginal administration of the immune response modifier imiquimodwould decrease vaginal shedding ofChlamydia trachomatis, mouse pneumonitis strain (MoPn), in a murine model.Methods:Female BALB/c mice were infected intravaginally withC. trachomatis(MoPn) and were administeredimiquimod either orally (30 mg/kg) or vaginally (10 μl of 5%imiquimod cream) prior to infection and every secondday after infection for a total of four doses. The course of infection was monitored by collecting cervical–vaginalswabs and isolation in HeLa 229 cell culture. To determine whether the drug affected T helper type 1 or T helpertype 2 immune response polarization, immunoglobulinG(IgG) subclass antibody responses were assessed at day 56after infection.Results:There was no significant difference in the course of infection when imiquimod-treated mice werecompared with sham-treated controls, regardless of whether the drug was administered orally or vaginally. IgGsubclass antibody responses, and by extension, T helper type 1 to T helper type 2 immune response polarization,were also unaffected.Conclusions:Imiquimod has no efficacy in controllingC. trachomatis(MoPn) infection in the murine model.