Novel diagnostic agents of chronic or persistent chlamydial diseases and uses thereof

A method for diagnosis of a persistent or chronic infection in a patient, wherein said infection is caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family, said method comprising detecting in a biological sample obtained from said patient, relative to the lytic phase of the developmental cycle of said organism, a change in the level or functional activity of an expression product of a gene selected from pyk, nlpD, Cpn0585, or a gene belonging to the same regulatory or biosynthetic pathway as pyk, nlpD or Cpn0585.

A method for the treatment or prophylaxis of chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, the method comprising administering to said patient an agent that modulates the expression of a gene or the level or functional activity of an expression product of said gene, wherein said gene is selected from pyk, nlpD, Cpn0585, or a gene belonging to the same regulatory or biosynthetic pathway as pyk, nlpD or Cpn0585, and that has been identified by a screening assay comprising:

• contacting a preparation comprising a polypeptide encoded by said gene, or biologically active fragment of said polypeptide, or a genetic sequence that modulates the expression of said gene, with said agent;
• and
• detecting a change in the level or functional activity of said polypeptide or biologically active fragment thereof, or of a product expressed from said genetic sequence.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of an agent that modulates the expression of a gene or the level or functional activity of an expression product of said gene, wherein said gene is selected from pyk, nlpD, Cpn0585, or a gene belonging to the same regulatory or biosynthetic pathway as pyk, nlpD, for a time, wherein said agent is formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic infection caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of an agent that modulates the expression of a gene or the level or functional activity of an expression product of said gene, wherein said gene is selected from pyk, nlpD, Cpn0585, or a gene belonging to the same regulatory or biosynthetic pathway as pyk, nlpD, for a time and under conditions sufficient to treat or prevent said infection.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a lytic or chronic infection caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family in a patient, said method comprising sequentially or simultaneously administering to said patient effective amounts of a first agent and a second agent for a time and under conditions sufficient to treat or prevent said infection, wherein said first agent modulates the expression of a first gene that is expressed in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of said organism at a higher level than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle or modulates the level or functional activity of an expression product of said first gene, and wherein said second agent modulates the expression of a second gene that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase or modulates the level or functional activity of an expression product of said second gene.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a lytic or chronic infection caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family in a patient, said method comprising sequentially or simultaneously administering to said patient an effective amount of a first agent that modulates the expression of a first gene that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of said organism than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle or that modulates the level or functional activity of an expression product of said first gene, for a time and under conditions sufficient to cause said organism to enter said lytic phase, together with an effective amount of a second agent that modulates the expression of a second gene that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase or that modulates the level or functional activity of an expression product of said second gene, for a time and under conditions sufficient to kill, attenuate or otherwise inactivate said organism, wherein said first gene is selected from pyk, nlpD or Cpn0585, or a gene belonging to the same regulatory or biosynthetic pathway as pyk, nlpD or Cpn0585.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a lytic or chronic infection caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family in a patient, said method comprising sequentially or simultaneously administering to said patient effective amounts of a first immunopotentiating agent and a second immunopotentiating agent for a time and under conditions sufficient to treat or prevent said infection, said first immunopotentiating agent being selected from a first proteinaceous molecule comprising at least a portion of a polypeptide that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of said organism than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle, or a polynucleotide from which said first proteinaceous molecule is expressible, said second immunopotentiating agent being selected from a second proteinaceous molecule comprising at least a portion of a polypeptide that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase, or a polynucleotide from which said second proteinaceous molecule is expressible, wherein the polypeptide of said first proteinaceous molecule is selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a lytic or chronic infection caused by an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family in a patient, said method comprising sequentially or simultaneously administering to said patient effective amounts of a first antigen that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of said organism than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle, and a second antigen that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase, wherein the first antigen comprises at least a portion of a polypeptide selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient an antigen that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle, wherein said antigen comprises at least a portion of a polypeptide selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585, and is formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient a first antigen that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle, together with a second antigen that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase, wherein the first antigen comprises at least a portion of a polypeptide selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585, and wherein said antigens are formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient at least one antigen that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle, wherein the or each antigen is selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585, or a biologically active fragment thereof.

A method for treatment or prophylaxis of a chronic chlamydial infection in a patient, said method comprising administering to said patient at least one antigen that is expressed at a higher level in the persistent phase of the developmental cycle of an organism of the Chlamydiaceae family than in the lytic phase of said developmental cycle and that is selected from Pyk, NlpD or CPn0585, or a biologically active fragment thereof, together with at least one antigen that is expressed at a higher level in said lytic phase than in said persistent phase.