CD8+ T lymphocyte-mediated lysis of Chlamydia-infected L cells using an endogenous antigen pathway.

Intracellular bacterial pathogens have evolved to either grow in the nutrient-rich cytoplasm or remain sequestered within a vacuole. One potentially important selective advantage for growth within a vacuole may be evasion of cell-mediated detection and cytolysis. To address this question we used the endosomally confined bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which naturally infects epithelial cells, to examine CTL-mediated lysis of nonphagocytic cells. CTL-mediated lysis of infected target cells was detected, although the increased expression of ICAM-1 by transfection was required. The elimination of CD8+ T cells or addition of brefeldin A or cycloheximide eliminated specific cytolysis, whereas conversely, treatment with chloroquine or ammonium chloride had only minor effects. These results implicate endogenous Ag processing for Chlamydia-specific cytolysis. This work demonstrates CTL-mediated lysis of cells infected with an intracellular bacterium that inhibits lysosomal fusion and is confined to an endosomal vacuole.