FIG. 9.

H. somnus adherence to BBEC is reduced by pretreating BBEC with NaClO₃. BBEC were incubated overnight with 50 mM NaClO₃ to reduce GAG sulfation or coincubated with 1 mM hyaluronic acid (a nonsulfated GAG). Approximately 30 H. somnus CFU were added per endothelial cell. The cells were then incubated for 4 h at 37°C and washed five times with PBS. The endothelial cells were lysed, and the adherent bacteria were enumerated by plating BBEC lysates on sheep blood agar plates. Data represent the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. ***, P < 0.001.