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Figure 7 | BMC Microbiology

Figure 7

From: Chlamydia pneumoniae induces aponecrosis in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Figure 7

Caspase 3 activity and mitochondrial membrane permeability A: Caspase-3 activity was assessed in HASMC infected with 128 IFU/cell Cpn-K6 ± Chloramphenicol (CA), loaded with mock isolate or treated with 1 μM staurosporin for 14 h. No caspase-3 activity can be detected in Cpn infected or mock inoculated cells in contrast to staurosporin treated cells. B: HASMC were infected with 4 – 128 Cpn-K6 (--) or 4 – 32 IFU/cell Cpn-VR1310 (--) and stained by TMRE for detection of mitochondrial membrane potential in combination with propidium iodide. Propidium iodide negative cells were analyzed by flow cytometry for TMRE staining. Infected HASMC treated with 0.1 μg/ml chloramphenicol served as controls (open symbols). Loss of TMRE staining is induced in HASMC infected with viable Cpn but not in cells infected with Cpn treated with chloramphenicol. Mean values with standard error of three independent experiments are shown. C, D: HASMC were infected with Cpn-K6 (IFU 128 IFU/cell, 48 h) and stained for cytochrome c (white). Mitochondria were labeled with mitotracker red (red). Loss of cytochrome c staining is found in mitochondria of HASMC infected with Cpn (D) but not in mock treated cells (C).

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