Fig 4. Analysis of the effect of varying concentrations of compound NSC158011 on the growth of Cryptosporidium parvum in HCT-8 cells.

Equal amounts of freshly excysted sporozoites of C. parvum were inoculated into HCT-8 cells in culture and varying concentrations of NSC158011 added at the time of infection (solid line) or added 2 h post-infection (p.i.) (dashed line). Control infected cells (dotted line) were treated immediately p.i. with volumes of DMSO equivalent to those used in the compound-treated cultures. The cells were analyzed for parasite infectivity and proliferation by an immunofluorescence assay after (A) 48 h, and (B) 72 h of culture. The fluorescence generated by intracellular C. parvum merozoites was quantified and is shown on the Y-axis representing the parasite load. The data shown represent means of three independent experiments with standard error bars and levels of statistical significance between groups indicated by asterisk (*, P < 0.05).