Zhong, Guangming, M.D., Ph.D.

Research

The Zhong lab has been using chlamydial infection in the female genital tract as a model to develop vaccines against infectious diseases and reveal the mechanisms. The Zhong lab possesses the skills in developing vaccines based on peptides (PMID#7690812), recombinant proteins (37889004), and whole organisms (37036335 & 21987657). In support of the vaccine effort, the Zhong lab has acquired vaccine-related expertise in Immunology (8920896 & 9271583) and Microbiology (27712952, 33865675, & 29289422) and obtained comprehensive approaches for identifying vaccine candidates (20581152) and improving vaccine epitopes (7523368). Recent studies from the Zhong lab have revealed a novel complex relationship between the genital and GI tract Chlamydiae. The tissue site of the first exposure to chlamydial organisms may determine the outcome of the Chlamydiae-host interactions (See video for illustration). The discovery that GI tract Chlamydiae can induce transmucosal protection has motivated the Zhong lab to develop a live-attenuated oral vaccine (called intrOv) against C. trachomatis in humans. The current efforts include the generation of IND-enabling data for moving the intrOv vaccine into clinical trials (https://news.uthscsa.edu/ut-health-san-antonio-to-lead-11-million-nih-funded-study-of-a-first-ever-oral-chlamydia-vaccine-2/).

Publications

Representative Publications on vaccine development

1.    Li C, Liu Z, Hua Y, Ma C, Zhong G. 2025. Infectivity of a pathogenicity-attenuated Chlamydia muridarum mutant in the genital tract. Infection and Immunity. bioRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.19.629466

2.    He Y, Wang Y, He R, Abdelsalam AM, Zhong G. 2023. IL-23 receptor signaling licenses group 3-like innate lymphoid cells to restrict a live-attenuated oral Chlamydia vaccine in the gut. Infect Immun. 91(11):e0037123. doi: 10.1128/iai.00371-23. PMID: 37850749

3.    Lu C, Wang J, Zhong G. 2023. Preclinical screen for protection efficacy of chlamydial antigens that are immunogenic in humans. Infect Immun. 91(11):e0034923. doi: 10.1128/iai.00349-23. PMID: 37889004.

4.    He R, Torres CA, Wang Y, He C, Zhong G. 2023. Type-I Interferon Signaling Protects against Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in the Female Lower Genital Tract. Infect Immun. 2023 Jun 15;91(6):e0015323. doi: 10.1128/iai.00153-23. PMID: 37191510

5.    Wang Y, He R, Winner H, Gauduin MC, Zhang N, He C, Zhong G. 2023. Induction of Transmucosal Protection by Oral Vaccination with an Attenuated Chlamydia. Infect Immun. 91(5):e0004323. doi: 10.1128/iai.00043-23. PMID: 37036335

6.    Winner H, Friesenhahn A, Wang Y, Stanbury N, Wang J, He C, Zhong G. 2023. Regulation of chlamydial colonization by IFNγ delivered via distinct cells. Trends Microbiol. 31(3):270-279. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.09.002. PMID: 36175276.

7.    Zhou Z, Tian Q, Wang L, Zhong G. 2022. Chlamydia Deficient in Plasmid-Encoded Glycoprotein 3 (pGP3) as an Attenuated Live Oral Vaccine. Infect Immun. 90:e00472-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.00472-21

8.    Zhong G. 2021. Chlamydia overcomes multiple gastrointestinal barriers to achieve long-lasting colonization. Trends Microbiol. 29(11):1004-10012. doi:10.1016/j.tim.2021.03.011. PMID: 33865675.

9.    He Y, Xu H, Song C, Koprivsek JJ, Arulanandam B, Yang H, Tao L, Zhong G. 2021. Adoptive Transfer of Group 3-Like Innate Lymphoid Cells Restores Mouse Colon Resistance to Colonization of a Gamma Interferon-Susceptible Chlamydia muridarum Mutant. Infect Immun. 2021 Jan 19;89(2). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00533-20. PMID: 33139384.

10.  Huo Z, He C, Xu Y, Jia T, Wang J, Zhong G. 2020. Chlamydia Deficient in Plasmid-Encoded pGP3 Is Prevented from Spreading to Large Intestine. Infect Immun. 88(6):. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00120-20. PMID: 32205401.

11.  Ma J, He C, Huo Z, Xu Y, Arulanandam B, Liu Q, Zhong G. 2020. The Cryptic Plasmid Improves Chlamydia Fitness in Different Regions of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun. 88(3). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00860-19. PMID: 31871102.

12.  Koprivsek JJ, He Y, Song C, Zhang N, Tumanov A, Zhong G. 2020. Evasion of Innate Lymphoid Cell-Regulated Gamma Interferon Responses by Chlamydia muridarum To Achieve Long-Lasting Colonization in Mouse Colon. Infect Immun. 20;88(3). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00798-19. PMID: 31818961.

13.  Zhong G, Brunham RC, de la Maza LM, Darville T, Deal C. 2019. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases workshop report: “Chlamydia vaccines: The way forward”. Vaccine. 37(50):7346-7354. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.075. PMID: 29097007

14.  Lin H, He C, Koprivsek JJ, Chen J, Zhou Z, Arulanandam B, Xu Z, Tang L, Zhong G. 2019. Antigen-Specific CD4(+) T Cell-Derived Gamma Interferon Is Both Necessary and Sufficient for Clearing Chlamydia from the Small Intestine but Not the Large Intestine. Infect Immun. 87(6). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00055-19. PMID: 30962403.

15.  Zhu C, Lin H, Tang L, Chen J, Wu Y, Zhong G. 2018. Oral Chlamydia vaccination induces transmucosal protection in the airway. Vaccine. 36(16):2061-2068. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.03.015. PMID: 29550196.

16.  Wang L, Zhu C, Zhang T, Tian Q, Zhang N, Morrison S, Morrison R, Xue M, Zhong G. 2018. Nonpathogenic Colonization with Chlamydia in the Gastrointestinal Tract as Oral Vaccination for Inducing Transmucosal Protection. Infect Immun. 86(2). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00630-17. PMID: 29133348.

17.  Pal S, Tifrea DF, Zhong G, de la Maza LM.2018. Transcervical Inoculation with Chlamydia trachomatis Induces Infertility in HLA-DR4 Transgenic and Wild-Type Mice. Infect Immun. 2018 Jan;86(1). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00722-17. Print 2018 Jan. PubMed PMID: 29038126; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5736824.

18.  de la Maza LM, Zhong G, Brunham RC. 2017. Update on Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccinology. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2017 Apr;24(4). doi: 10.1128/CVI.00543-16. PMID: 28228394.

19.  Conrad TA, Gong S, Yang Z, Matulich P, Keck J, Beltrami N, Chen C, Zhou Z, Dai J, Zhong G. The Chromosome-Encoded Hypothetical Protein TC0668 Is an Upper Genital Tract Pathogenicity Factor of Chlamydia muridarum. Infect Immun. 84(2):467-79. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01171-15. PMID: 26597987.

20.  Chen C, Zhou Z, Conrad T, Yang Z, Dai J, Li Z, Wu Y, Zhong G. 2015. In vitro passage selects for Chlamydia muridarum with enhanced infectivity in cultured cells but attenuated pathogenicity in mouse upper genital tract. Infect Immun. 2015 May;83(5):1881-92. doi: 10.1128/IAI.03158-14.  PMID: 25712926.

Representative Publications on chlamydial pathogenesis

21.  Xu Y, Wang Y, Winner H, Yang H, He R, Wang J, Zhong G. 2024. Regulation of chlamydial spreading from the small intestine to the large intestine by IL-22-producing CD4(+) T cells. Infect Immun. 92(1):e0042123. doi: 10.1128/iai.00421-23.  PMID: 38047677.

22.  Zhao Y, Huo Z, Zhou Z, Cervantes C, Chen J, Xu Z, Zhong G. 2022. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) Promotes Chlamydial Infection in the Female Genital Tract. Infect Immun. 90(4):e0065121. doi: 10.1128/iai.00651-21. PMID: 35258318.

23.  Zhou Z, Tian Q, Wang L, Sun X, Zhang N, Xue M, Xu D, Zhong G. 2022. Characterization of Pathogenic CD8(+) T cells in Chlamydia-Infected OT1 Mice. Infect Immun. 90(1):e0045321. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00453-21. PMID: 34724387.

24.  He C, Xu Y, Huo Z, Wang J, Jia T, Li XD, Zhong G. 2021. Regulation of Chlamydia spreading from the small intestine to the large intestine via an immunological barrier. Immunol Cell Biol. 99(6):611-621. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12446. PMID: 33565158.

25.  Zhou Z, Xie L, Wang L, Xue M, Xu D, Zhong G. 2020. Effects of Immunomodulatory Drug Fingolimod (FTY720) on Chlamydia Dissemination and Pathogenesis. Infect Immun. 88(11). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00281-20. PMID: 32868341.

26.  Xie L, He C, Chen J, Tang L, Zhou Z, Zhong G. 2020. Suppression of Chlamydial Pathogenicity by Nonspecific CD8(+) T Lymphocytes. Infect Immun. 88(10). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00315-20. PMID: 32747602.

27.  Huo Z, He C, Xu Y, Jia T, Wang J, Zhong G.2020. Chlamydia Deficient in Plasmid-Encoded pGP3 Is Prevented from Spreading to Large Intestine. Infect Immun.88(6). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00120-20. PMID: 32205401.

28.  Tian Q, Zhou Z, Wang L, Abu-Khdeir AH, Huo Z, Sun X, Zhang N, Schenken R, Wang Y, Xue M, Zhong G. 2020. Gastrointestinal Coinfection Promotes Chlamydial Pathogenicity in the Genital Tract. Infect Immun. 88(4). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00905-19. PMID: 31988173.

29.  Ma J, He C, Huo Z, Xu Y, Arulanandam B, Liu Q, Zhong G. 2020. The Cryptic Plasmid Improves Chlamydia Fitness in Different Regions of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun. 88(3). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00860-19. PMID: 31871102.

30.  Yu H, Lin H, Xie L, Tang L, Chen J, Zhou Z, Ni J, Zhong G. 2019. Chlamydia muridarum Induces Pathology in the Female Upper Genital Tract via Distinct Mechanisms. Infect Immun. 87(8). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00145-19. PMID: 31085708.

31.  Koprivsek JJ, Zhang T, Tian Q, He Y, Xu H, Xu Z, Zhong G. Distinct Roles of Chromosome- versus Plasmid-Encoded Genital Tract Virulence Factors in Promoting Chlamydia muridarum Colonization in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun. 2019 Aug;87(8). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00265-19. Print 2019 Aug. PubMed PMID: 31160366; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6652759.

32.  Zhang T, Huo Z, Ma J, He C, Zhong G. The Plasmid-Encoded pGP3 Promotes Chlamydia Evasion of Acidic Barriers in Both Stomach and Vagina. Infect Immun. 2019 Mar;87(5). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00844-18. Print 2019 Mar. PubMed PMID: 30858342; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6479032.

33.  Hou S, Sun X, Dong X, Lin H, Tang L, Xue M, Zhong G. Chlamydial plasmid-encoded virulence factor Pgp3 interacts with human cathelicidin peptide LL-37 to modulate immune response. Microbes Infect. 2019 Jan-Feb;21(1):50-55. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2018.06.003. Epub 2018 Jun 26. PubMed PMID: 29959096; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6309935.

34.  Zhong G. Chlamydia Spreading from the Genital Tract to the Gastrointestinal Tract – A Two-Hit Hypothesis. Trends Microbiol. 2018 Jul;26(7):611-623. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.12.002. PMID: 29289422.

35.  Brothwell JA, Muramatsu MK, Zhong G, Nelson DE. Advances and Obstacles in the Genetic Dissection of Chlamydial Virulence. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2018;412:133-158. doi: 10.1007/82_2017_76.  PMID: 29090367.

36.  Shao L, Zhang T, Melero J, Huang Y, Liu Y, Liu Q, He C, Nelson DE, Zhong G. The Genital Tract Virulence Factor pGP3 Is Essential for Chlamydia muridarum Colonization in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun. 2018 Jan;86(1). doi: 10.1128/IAI.00429-17.  PMID: 29038127.

37.  Sun X, Tian Q, Wang L, Xue M, Zhong G. IL-6-mediated signaling pathways limit Chlamydia muridarum infection and exacerbate its pathogenicity in the mouse genital tract. Microbes Infect. 2017 Nov;19(11):536-545. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.08.007.  PubMed PMID: 28864426.

38.  Shao L, Melero J, Zhang N, Arulanandam B, Baseman J, Liu Q, Zhong G. 2017. The cryptic plasmid is more important for Chlamydia muridarum to colonize the mouse gastrointestinal tract than to infect the genital tract. PLoS One.12(5):e0177691. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177691.  PMID: 28542376.

39.  Zhong G. Chlamydial Plasmid-Dependent Pathogenicity. Trends Microbiol. 2017 Feb;25(2):141-152. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.09.006. PMID: 27712952.

40.  Dai J, Zhang T, Wang L, Shao L, Zhu C, Zhang Y, Failor C, Schenken R, Baseman J, He C, Zhong G. 2016. Intravenous Inoculation with Chlamydia muridarum Leads to a Long-Lasting Infection Restricted to the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun. 2016 Aug;84(8):2382-2388. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00432-16.  PMID: 27271744.