FIG. 2.
Effect of β-defensins on cell metabolism. PBCM and TZM cells treated with β-defensins at concentrations ranging from 100 to 0.8 μg/ml were tested using the MTS assay, which measures conversion of MTS tetrazolium into formazan by cellular dehydrogenase enzymes in metabolically active cells. A total of 1 × 105 cells/well were cultured in 96-well plates for 3 days in presence of β-defensins or with media alone as a control in triple replicates, and then added to the MTS/ phenazine methosulfate mixture and incubated 1 to 4 h as indicated by the manufacturer's protocol prior to spectrophotometric absorbance reading at 490 nm. Triplicate readings were averaged, and optical density ratios of treated/control cells were calculated as percentages. Shown here are averages of three independent experiments. Bars indicate standard errors of the means.