FIG 2.

Deletion of gelE from E. faecalis V583 reduces the permeability of epithelial cell monolayers. (A) Caco-2 cell monolayers were incubated with CCM from E. faecalis V583 (filled bars) or from E. faecalis lacking the gelE gene (ΔgelE) (shaded bars). The flux of FITC-dextran across Caco-2 cell monolayers (indicative of paracellular permeability) was significantly greater when monolayers were apically cultured with E. faecalis V583 CCM for 24 h than with the medium control (open bars) (*, P < 0.0001). The flux of FITC-dextran across Caco-2 cell monolayers was significantly reduced to that of E. faecalis V583 CCM when cultured with CCM from E. faecalis ΔgelE for 24 h (*, P < 0.0001). (B) T-84 cell monolayers were incubated with CCM from E. faecalis V583 or E. faecalis ΔgelE. The flux of FITC-dextran across T-84 cell monolayers was significantly greater when monolayers were basally cultured with E. faecalis V583 CCM for 24 h than with the medium control (*, P < 0.0001). The flux of FITC-dextran across T-84 cell monolayers was significantly reduced to that of E. faecalis V583 CCM when cultured with CCM from E. faecalis ΔgelE for 24 h (*, P < 0.0001). Each experimental group represents at least 3 independent experiments with 2 technical replicates in each experiment. Data are expressed as mean values ± standard errors. Comparisons were made using one-way ANOVA.