上皮间质转化在沙眼衣原体致病机制中的作用

The role of epithelial—mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis

上皮间质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)是上皮细胞上皮样特征减少并获得间充质细胞特性的生物学过程。EMT不仅参与胚胎发育和正常生理过程,还参与许多病理过程,在肿瘤浸润转移中也必不可少,近年来有研究认为EMT参与了沙眼衣原体(Chlamydia trachomatis,Ct)的致病过程。Ct可通过调控上皮细胞miRNA的表达从而诱导EMT,导致上皮完整性功能丧失、器官纤维化等病理过程;也可通过多种信号通路来调控EMT相关转录因子的转录及翻译后水平,影响Ct感染性疾病的发展。本文主要从Ct诱导的相关信号通路及其转录因子与miRNA两方面对上皮间质转化在沙眼衣原体致病机制中的作用进行综述。

Epithelial—mesenchymal transition(EMT)is a biological process in which normal epithelial cells are transformed into mesenchymal cells through a specific procedure.EMT is not only involved in embryonic development and normal physiological processes but also in many pathological processes.It is essential in tumor invasion and metastasis and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis.In recent years,EMT has been considered to be the pathogenic basis of C.trachomatis disease.C.trachomatis can induce EMT by regulating the expression of miRNA in epithelial cells,leading to loss of epithelial integrity and organ fibrosis and other pathological processes.It can also regulate the transcription and post—translation levels of EMT—related transcription factors through related signaling pathways which in turn affect the incidence and development of the disease.This review mainly summarizes the role of EMT in the pathogenesis of C.trachomatis in terms of C.trachomatis-induced signaling pathways andits transcription factors and miRNA.