# Endometrial organoids to model Chlamydia infection

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2020 · $80,750

## Abstract

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PROJECT SUMMARY
Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of human sexually transmitted infections of bacterial origin world-
wide. Infections are often asymptomatic and, if left untreated, have long-term consequences on female repro-
ductive health. Although treatable with antibiotics, reinfection rates are high due the lack of long-term protective
immunity from infection, and vaccines are not available. Over the years, data collected from human epidemio-
logical studies, murine models of infection and infected cancer-derived epithelial cells, such as HeLa cells,
have contributed to a better understanding of the infection process. However, there are substantial limitations
with the current models available, due to accessibility to or tractability of the samples (human and mice) or
physiological relevance (HeLa cells). Over the past decade, 3D organoids, derived from adult or pluripotent
stem cells, have been generated from various tissues, including the female reproductive tract, and shown to
closely recapitulate the cellular composition, and biology/functionality of the original organs' epithelium. There-
fore, organoids offer a unique model system to study host-pathogen interaction in a relatively simple, yet rele-
vant ex vivo environment. Here, we propose to develop an endometrial organoid (EMO) - C. trachomatis model
of infection. Our preliminary data indicate that C. trachomatis can infect and undergo a productive developmen-
tal cycle in EMO. We now want to further characterize C. trachomatis infection in EMO. Our hypothesis is that
key features of Chlamydia developmental cycle will be recapitulated during EMO infection. In addition, we want
to develop methods to manipulate EMO to address the role of specific host factors in infection. Altogether, pio-
neering Chlamydia infection of 3D EMO will be instrumental in investigating the infection process of this medi-
cally important bacterial pathogen, in a relevant ex vivo model system. This model will provide a better appre-
ciation of the molecular fundamentals of Chlamydia infection, which could help in the design of efficient strate-
gies to combat and prevent the disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9997786
- **Project number:** 5R03AI146649-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** ISABELLE DERRE
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $80,750
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-16 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9997786

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9997786, Endometrial organoids to model Chlamydia infection (5R03AI146649-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9997786. Licensed CC0.

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