Click on image to view larger version.
Figure 7. IL-8 expression in HAEC, monocytes, and HAEC/monocyte co-cultures. P. gingivalis 381 (wt) or the fimA mutant DPG3 (fimA) was used to infect HAEC (A), human monocytes (B), or HAEC/human monocyte co-cultures (C) at an MOI of 1:100 (100) or 1:500 (500), and IL-8 was measured by ELISA after 24 hrs. Uninfected HAEC, monocytes, and HAEC/monocyte co-cultures (control) served as negative controls. Analysis of these data demonstrates that cultures of primary HAEC, human peripheral blood plastic adherent monocytes, and HAEC/monocyte co-cultures actively respond to P. gingivalis challenge. The IL-8 response observed in these systems parallels that observed for MCP-1 (Fig. 6). The co-culture system supports that some unknown interaction between endothelial cells and macrophages during P. gingivalis challenge is likely occurring, giving rise to a synergistic response.
