Skip to main content
. 2026 Jan 23;16:1724684. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1724684

Figure 7.

Bar charts labeled A to D comparing various cellular metrics across different samples. A: OC number per field shows significant differences between samples, with p-values indicated. B: OC diameter highlights variations with p-values. C: OC nuclei number per OC shows differences between samples with statistical significance. D: Apoptosis in all cells is illustrated by TUNEL-positive nuclei percentages, showing contrasts among groups with associated p-values.

Effector proteins of C. burnetii affect osteoclast differentiation, but not survival. Osteoclast cultures were infected with C. burnetii WT, ΔdotA, ΔankG, ΔcaeB or heat-killed WT (HK) after 2 days of RANKL stimulation. Uninfected osteoclasts (n.i.) were used as control. Osteoclast differentiation was quantified 72 hpi by staining for TRAP. Cells were analyzed by light microscopy. Representative microscopy images are presented in Supplementary Figure 4. (A) Osteoclasts (TRAP+ cells with ≥3 nuclei) were counted with imageJ software (n=3). (B) Similar approaches were used to measure the osteoclast diameter and (C) the number of nucleus per field as a proxy for cell survival. (D) Similar infection experiments were carried out on osteoclasts previously seeded on glass coverslip. After 72 hpi, cells were stained for Coxiella (green - Alexa488), actin (red – Alexa647), DNA (blue - DAPI) and TUNEL (white) and imaged by fluorescent CLSFM. Total number of nuclei and TUNEL+ nuclei were quantified with ImageJ software. The percentage of TUNEL+ nuclei among the total number of nuclei was quantified (n=2). Data are shown as mean ± SD. Circle represent individual microscopical fields of view.