10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006646 Carmen Lía Murall Carmen Lía Murall Robert Jackson Robert Jackson Ingeborg Zehbe Ingeborg Zehbe Nathalie Boulle Nathalie Boulle Michel Segondy Michel Segondy Samuel Alizon Samuel Alizon Epithelial stratification shapes infection dynamics Public Library of Science 2019 testing hypotheses ecology-inspired model pathogen load bottom-up processes Human papillomaviruses epithelial structure modeling approach cervicovaginal parameter estimates infection symptoms tissue cell cultures HPV 3 D tissue culture Epithelial stratification shapes infection dynamics Infections Chlamydia trachomatis estimate parameters infection dynamics infection strategies pathogen burden 2019-01-23 18:53:32 Dataset https://plos.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Epithelial_stratification_shapes_infection_dynamics/7621634 <div><p>Infections of stratified epithelia contribute to a large group of common diseases, such as dermatological conditions and sexually transmitted diseases. To investigate how epithelial structure affects infection dynamics, we develop a general ecology-inspired model for stratified epithelia. Our model allows us to simulate infections, explore new hypotheses and estimate parameters that are difficult to measure with tissue cell cultures. We focus on two contrasting pathogens: <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> and Human papillomaviruses (HPV). Using cervicovaginal parameter estimates, we find that key infection symptoms can be explained by differential interactions with the layers, while clearance and pathogen burden appear to be bottom-up processes. Cell protective responses to infections (e.g. mucus trapping) generally lowered pathogen load but there were specific effects based on infection strategies. Our modeling approach opens new perspectives for 3D tissue culture experimental systems of infections and, more generally, for developing and testing hypotheses related to infections of stratified epithelia.</p></div>