Figure 3

Cytotoxicity caused by G. vaginalis strains. Equal numbers of either AMD, 5-1, or PBS control were either added to a ME-180 monolayer directly (A-C), or were loaded into transwell filters with either 3 μm (D-F) or 0.4 μm (G-I) pore-size. The cells were monitored microscopically during the incubation for phenotypic alterations associated with toxic effects. After incubating the ME-180 cells with the bacteria for 3 hours, strain AMD had caused complete lysis of the monolayer whereas the cells incubated with strain 5-1 had just begun to exhibit rounding. The cytotoxic effects were completely blocked by the transwell with 0.4 μm pore size, which did not allow contact between the ME-180 s and the bacteria while the 3 μm pores, which did allow contact, permitted the cytotoxic effects.