Figure 5
From: Legionella pneumophila induces human beta Defensin-3 in pulmonary cells
hBD-3 elicited a strong antimicrobial effect onL. pneumophila. (A) L. pneumophila 130b (L. p.) was incubated at 105 cfu/ml in HAM's 12 with increasing concentrations of recombinant hBD-3 (rhBD-3) and erythromycin [erythr.; 0.5 μg/ml] as indicated and multiplication of bacteria was assessed by colony forming units (cfu) assay plating solution mixture on agar plates after 4 and 8 h. (B) A549 epithelial cells were infected with L. pneumophila 130b and replication assay was performed. (C) A549 epithelial cells were transfected with control siRNA (c-siRNA) or specific siRNA targeting hBD-3, and after 48 h infected with L. pneumophila 130b and intracellular replication of Legionella was assed by a replication assay after 8, 16 and 24 h. Results are means ± SEM of three independent experiments. *, p < 0.05 compared with untreated control or control siRNA versus treated cells or target siRNA.