FIG 6.

Inhibition of AP-1 (c-Jun/c-Fos) transcription activity results in persistent C. pneumoniae infection. HEp-2 cells were infected with C. pneumoniae (10 IFUs), and tanshinone IIA (TIIA; 25 μM) was applied in parallel, followed by incubation for 48 h. Cells were cultured with or without tanshinone IIA for an additional 48 h. (A) Cells were fixed with methanol, immunostained by use of an Imagen chlamydia kit (green, Chlamydia LPS; red, cytoplasm), and counterstained with DAPI (blue). (Insets) Magnified images of the boxed areas. (B) Quantification of aberrant inclusions during infection without and with a medium change. (C) Chlamydial recovery 48 h after infection with and without tanshinone IIA treatment. (D) Electron microscope micrographs of infected HEp-2 cells without and with tanshinone IIA treatment. Black arrowheads, elementary bodies; white arrowheads, reticular bodies. Data represent the mean ± SD from at least three independent experiments. Immunofluorescence and electron microscope images are representative of those from three independent experiments (n = 3). *, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.001.