FIG 3.

Inhibition of caspase 3 activity in E. faecalis-infected cells. (A to C) RAW264.7 cells (A), BMDMs (B), and MEFs (C) were infected as described in Materials and Methods. After treatment or not with apoptotic stimuli, the samples were lysed for Western blot analysis using antibodies against cleaved caspase 3 or PARP. (D) C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 2.0 × 10⁸ CFU of E. faecalis E99 suspended in 5% hog gastric mucin or with 5% hog gastric mucin alone, and the peritoneal lavage fluid was collected at 6 or 12 h postinfection. After centrifugation, the pelleted cells were lysed and subjected to Western blot analysis.