FIG. 4.

Apoptotic regulator expression in UECs treated with purified gonococcal PorB IB. (A) UECs (maintained in the absence of serum) received medium alone (Untreated) or were treated for 4 h with 5 μg of gonococcal porin IB (PorB IB) per ml. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the increased expression of antiapoptotic genes in PorB IB-treated UECs. Panel 1, 18S rRNA gene; panel 2, bfl-1; panel 3, c-IAP-2; panel 4, cox-2. (B) Western panel analysis of Bfl-1 in untreated urethral epithelium and cells treated for 2 or 4 h with 5 μg of PorB IB per ml. Molecular size markers (in kilodaltons) are indicated on the right. (C) RT-PCR analysis of proapoptotic gene expression in untreated and PorB IB-treated UECs. Panel 1, 18S rRNA control; panel 2, bax; panel 3, bak. (D) Real-time PCR analysis of 18S rRNA gene (white bars) and bfl-1 (gray bars; P < 0.01) in untreated and PorB IB-treated UECs. (E) Real-time PCR analysis of the 18S rRNA gene (white bars) and cox-2 (hatched bars; P < 0.01) expression in untreated and PorB IB-treated UECs.