Can chlamydia cause cancer?
Dr. Andrea Bannert has been with since 2013.The doctor of biology and medicine editor initially carried out research in microbiology and is the team's expert on the tiny things: bacteria, viruses, molecules and genes. She also works as a freelancer for Bayerischer Rundfunk and various science magazines and writes fantasy novels and children's stories.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.MunichChlamydia infections are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases. The result is uncomfortable itching and burning when urinating. In women, the bacterial infection can lead to infertility. New research now suggests that the bacteria can also cause cancer. Because they paralyze the central “guardians of the genome”.
The cells in tumors proliferate in an uncontrolled manner. In contrast to healthy tissue, an important control mechanism in our body no longer works with them: programmed cell death. He usually ensures that broken cells are disposed of and do not continue to multiply. Because environmental influences such as UV rays cause hundreds of changes in the genetic material in every cell every day - so-called mutations. Our cells can repair a large part of it. If this does not succeed, the cellular suicide program starts. Both processes - repair and cell death - are regulated by a protein called p53.
Survival strategy
Scientists working with Thomas Meyer from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin discovered a connection between p53 and chlamydial infections. Bacterial infections basically weaken our immune system and thus also the repair mechanisms of our cells. The result: there are more mutations. If the cells are then sent into programmed cell death by p53, this would be fatal for the chlamydia - after all, they can only multiply within the host cells.
That is why the bacteria have come up with a defense strategy: they eliminate p53 by activating a breakdown pathway for the protein that is already present in the cell. Broken cells no longer die and can develop into cancer cells.
Incidentally, the human papillomavirus also triggers the breakdown of p53. It is thought to cause cervical cancer.
Cancer in the abdomen
Because chlamydia affects the urethra and, in women, the uterus and fallopian tubes, the infection may promote cancer in this area, such as cervical and ovarian cancer. However, this connection has not yet been definitively proven.
Nevertheless, Meyer advises to be more mindful. You can protect yourself against chlamydial infections through safe sex, i.e. by using condoms.
Hidden Infections
About ten percent of the population have chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) infected. However, around 80 percent of women and 50 percent of men have no symptoms whatsoever. These under-recognized infections easily lead to further infections.
Source: Meyer TF et al .: Chlamydia infection depends on a functional MDM2-p53 axis, Nature Communications 2014, 13. November 2014.
Tags: Diagnosis elderly care interview
