FIGURE 7.

Factor H-mediated pneumococcal ingestion by epithelial cells requires actin cytoskeleton dynamics. A and B, pneumococcal invasion into A549 was determined in the presence of cytochalasin D (A) or nocodazole (B) by the antibiotic protection assay as described previously (47). Pneumococcal invasion indicates the relative number of intracellular bacteria (Factor H pretreated or untreated (none)) in the presence of an inhibitor compared with pneumococcal invasion in the absence of an inhibitor. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.001; ns, not significant.