Lipid metabolism of monkey kidney cells (LLC MK 2) infected with Chlamydia trachomatis strain lymphogranuloma venereum

Abstract

Lipid metabolism of monkey kidney (LLC MK 2) cells and cells infected with a C. trachomatis strain lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) was studied. The protein to lipid ratio of normal MK 2 cells was found to increase linearly over a 60 hr period of incubation. The protein to lipid ratio of the infected cells was similar to that in normal cells until 36 hr after infection, when a plateau in the ratio was observed. Lipid synthesis of the infected cells was found to be inhibited after 48 hr of infection. Turnover of host lipids did not appear to be markedly altered by infection with LGV over a 48 hr period of incubation. An anteiso branched chain of 15:0 fatty acid was found in infected cells but not in normal cells. The appearance of this fatty acid, correlated with a rise in the infectivity of LGV, suggests that synthesis of specific lipids was associated with the infection.