Chlamydia bacteria may make their victims vulnerable to cancer by knocking out key body defences, according to a new study.
The organism, often sexually transmitted, often lies low without symptoms and can cause infertility.
The new study by researchers in Germany shows that Chlamydia protects itself by preventing the destruction of cells it infects. This allows it enough time to reproduce.
The same process can be responsible for cancer – and the new research pinpoints the p53 protein, responsible for programme cell death.
The researchers at the Max Planck Institute, Berlin, say Chlamydia is capable of destroying this protein, allowing cancer to develop.
Institute director Thomas Meyer said: "The impact of Chlamydia on p53 is an important part in the complex puzzle of cancer development.
"The more substantiated the relationship between infection and cancer becomes, the more important it will be to promote the development of effective vaccines and antibiotics to prevent cancer."
Chlamydia infection depends on a functional MDM2-p53 axis. Nature Communications 13 November 2014
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