FIG 8.

B. abortus infection induces apoptosis of LX-2 cells that is dependent on PI3-kinase and lysosomal proteases. Effect of wortmannin (wort) and E64 plus leupeptin (E64+leupeptin) in the apoptosis induced by B. abortus infection at 48 h postinfection. The presence of apoptotic cells were determined and quantified by TUNEL assay (A), cleaved caspase-3 expression (B), and Hoechst 33342 staining (C). Data are given as the means ± SD from at least three individual experiments. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 versus infected and untreated cells.