Study of the immunomodulatory properties of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in the context of atherosclerosis

Rationale: Chlamydophila pneumoniae is a gram negative obligate intracellular organism. The MOMP of C. pneumoniae is a 40 kDa immunodominant and surface expressed protein. We previously demonstrated that recombinant MOMP (rMOMP) have an immunosuppressive effect on macrophages by decreasing CD40 and MHC-II expression and increasing IL-10 secretion in these cells. rMOMP also inhibited metalloprotease secretion in treated macrophages. Therefore, we further investigated the immunomodulatory properties of rMOMP and four peptides derived from MOMP in vitro and in vivo.