Inhibition of Growth of Chlamydia trachomatis by the Calcium Antagonist Verapamil

• Published in: Journal of general microbiology Vol. 135; no. 6; pp. 1619 - 1623
• Main Authors: SHAINKIN-KESTENBAUM, RUTH, WINIKOFF, YEHUDIT, KOL, RINA, CHAIMOVITZ, CIDIO, SAROV, ISRAEL
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Soc General Microbiol 01.06.1989; New York, NY Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Action of physical and chemical agents on bacteria; Animals; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium - physiology; Cell Line; Cercopithecus aethiops; Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia trachomatis - drug effects; Chlamydia trachomatis - growth & development; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Inclusion Bodies - analysis; Kidney; Microbiology; Verapamil - pharmacology; Cell culture; Microorganism growth; Chlamydiaceae; Calcium; Concentration effect; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Chlamydia trachomatis; Antagonist; Inhibition; Intracellular
• ISSN: 0022-1287; 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/00221287-135-6-1619

1 Department of Nephrology, Soroka Medial Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel 2 Institute of Pathology, Soroka Medial Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel 3 Virology Unit, Soroka Medial Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel ABSTRACT Treatment of BGM (African Green Monkey kidney) cells with the calcium antagonist Verapamil resulted in a reduced yield of chlamydial infectious particles. The inhibitory effect was concentration-dependent, the maximal effect being achieved at 200 µM-Verapamil, which produced a 99·99% reduction of infectious particle yield. Electron microscopy showed that control Chlamydia trachomatis -infected BGM cells contained typical large inclusions in which most of the particles were elementary bodies, whereas Verapamil-treated infected cells contained small inclusions consisting predominantly of reticulate bodies. The findings indicate a possible therapeutic use of this calcium antagonist as an anti-chlamydial drug.