Chlamydia trachomatis growth inhibition and restoration of LDL-receptor level in HepG2 cells treated with mevastatin

Chlamydial inclusion bodies were seen in approximately 50% of hepatocytes at 48 hours in the post infection period. Lysates obtained from infected hepatocytes were positive in the infective progeny test at 48 and especially in 72 hours after infection initiation. It has been shown that chlamydial infection in hepatocytes also leads to the decline of LDL-receptor mRNA which reflects infection multiplicity rate. Additions of mevastatin (1, 20 and 40 μM) 1 hour before inoculation restored and upregulated LDL-receptor mRNA level in a dose-dependent manner. Mevastatin treatment had no effect on internalization of chlamydial particles. However it reduced drastically the number of chlamydial 16S rRNA and euo transcripts as well as overall infection rate in HepG-2 cells. Complete eradication of infection has been seen by immunofluorescent staining at 40 μM mevastatin concentration, when expression level of chlamydial 16S rRNA and euo was undetectable. Lower concentration of mevastatin (20 μM) promoted euo expression level and the appearance of atypically small chlamydial inclusions, while there was a noticeable reduction in the number of infected cells and 16S rRNA transcripts.C. trachomatis can efficiently propagate in hepatocytes affecting transcription rate of some liver-specific genes. Ongoing cholesterol synthesis is essential for chlamydial growth in hepatocytes. Inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis can supplement conventional strategy in the management of C. trachomatis infection.Chlamydia trachomatis is a prevalent bacterial pathogen causing most of the cases of urogenital infections and preventable blindness in the world. Epididymitis and urethritis in men, cervical as well as the urethral inflammation in woman may lead to acute pelvic inflammatory disease and variety of other extragenital manifestations in both sexes. Among most frequent extragenital manifestations of C. trachomatis are sexually acquired reactive arthritis (SARA), conjunctivitis and perihepatiti