# Cytotoxic T Cell Mediated Immunity to Chlamydia

> **NIH NIH R01** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2020 · $784,976

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for significant morbidity and healthcare costs
throughout the world. Work from our lab has demonstrated that T cells are a key mediator of immune
protection against C. trachomatis. Our long-term goal has been to gain an understanding of how CD8+ T cells
are stimulated in response to C. trachomatis infection. The reagents we developed in the previous funding
period have allowed us to use contemporary approaches in cellular immunology to define how Chlamydia-
specific T cells respond to infection. We have shown that transfer of cultured Chlamydia-specific CD8+ T cells
into mice can protect against infection, yet surprisingly, a protective CD8+ T cell memory response is not
stimulated following natural infection of mice or people. The apparent failure of the adaptive immune system to
effectively clear the organism and/or prevent repeat infection is a hallmark of human infection with C.
trachomatis, resulting in sequelae of infection such as permanent reproductive tract damage. Consistent with
the findings in humans, we have observed that CD8+ T cells respond extremely well to primary infection, yet
the memory cells that result from initial infection are impaired in their capacity to robustly respond to
subsequent encounters with the organism.
 Here, our goal is to 1) understand the mechanism by which CD8+ T memory is inhibited during infection
and develop methods to overcome it, and 2) identify vaccine formulations that stimulate protective CD8+ T cells
and test their capacity to enhance vaccine-mediated CD4+ T cellimmunity. The vaccine strategies we will use
build on a successful experimental approach using nanoparticles encapsulating an adjuvant and bound to
whole inactivated organisms. Ultimately we anticipate this work will drive selection of appropriate strategies for
vaccine development that provide robust protection against C. trachomatis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9969298
- **Project number:** 5R01AI039558-24
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL N STARNBACH
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $784,976
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1996-07-01 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9969298

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9969298, Cytotoxic T Cell Mediated Immunity to Chlamydia (5R01AI039558-24). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9969298. Licensed CC0.

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