Chlamydial-Secreted Protease Chlamydia High Temperature Requirement Protein A (cHtrA) Degrades Human Cathelicidin LL-37 and Suppresses Its Anti-Chlamydial Activity

BACKGROUND:Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that can cause severe reproductive tract complications while ascending infection occurs. When spreading from cell to cell in a host, C. trachomatis utilizes various survival strategies to offset host defense mechanisms. One such strategy is to degrade host antimicrobial defense proteins before they can attack the invading C. trachomatis cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS:We...