FIGURE 3.

HDAC6 promotes UPEC entry into host bladder cells. 5637 bladder cells were pretreated for 3 h with (a and b) 300 nm TSA, 5 mm NA, or 5 mm NaB, or with (c and d) the indicated concentrations of tubacin and niltubacin. Cells were then infected with UTI89 for 2 h and (a and c) intracellular and (b and d) total cell-associated bacterial titers were determined relative to controls treated with carrier alone. e, Western blot analysis of bladder cells treated with the indicated inhibitors shows levels of both total and acetylated (Ac) α-tubulin. f, levels of HDAC6 in bladder cells 72 h after transfection with either control nonspecific siRNA or HDAC6-specific siRNA, as detected by Western blot. Blots were also probed using an anti-actin antibody to verify equal protein loading. Following a 2 h infection with UTI89, (g) intracellular and (h) total cell-associated bacterial titers recovered from siRNA-transfected cells were determined. Data in the graphs are expressed relative to appropriate controls as the means ± S.E. of at least three independent experiments carried out in triplicate.