Chlamydia pneumoniae growth inhibition in human monocytic THP-1 cells and human epithelial HEp-2 cells by a novel phenoxazine derivative

In this study the effects of 2-amino-phenoxazine-3-one (phenoxazine derivate, Phx-3) on Chlamydia (Chlamydophila) pneumoniae growth in human monocytic THP-1 cells as well as human epithelial HEp-2 cells were examined. Cells were infected with bacteria at an m.o.i. of 10 by centrifugation. After washing to remove any remaining bacteria, the cells were incubated with or without Phx-3 in the presence or absence of tryptophan for 72 h. The bacteria in cells were assessed by staining of chlamydial inclusions with FITC-labelled anti-chlamydial antibody, electron microscopic analysis, real-time RT-PCR specific for C. pneumoniae 16S rRNA and propagation on HEp-2 cells. Treatment with Phx-3 significantly inhibited growth of C. pneumoniae in THP-1 and HEp-2 cells. A decrease in the number of bacterial 16S rRNA transcripts was also confirmed in both cell lines by real-time RT-PCR. Electron microscopic studies revealed that treatment with Phx-3 induces bacterial destruction in most of the inclusion bodies in these cells. Addition of tryptophan to the culture slightly blocked the growth inhibition of C. pneumoniae by Phx-3. The reagents did not show any cytotoxicity to the cells at the concentrations used. The results suggest that Phx-3 inhibits C. pneumoniae replication in human monocytic cells as well as epithelial cells, partially depending on the tryptophan-metabolic pathway of host cells. Thus, Phx-3 might be a useful compound for controlling C. pneumoniae growth in cells and may be an alternative conventional therapy.