FIG 2.

Adherence of N. gonorrhoeae to cervical epithelial cells (tCX) and urethral epithelial cells (tUEC) in the presence and absence of lectin. Gonococcal adherence is reduced in cells pretreated with the mannose-specific lectin ConA. Results are presented as the percentage of adherent bacteria from triplicate lectin-treated samples relative to that of the no-treatment control [results for no-treatment controls set at 100% are (1.7 ± 0.15) × 10³ and (1.4 ± 0.06) × 10³ adherent CFU for tCX and tUEC, respectively]. Error bars represent ±1 standard deviation. *, P < 0.05, calculated using a two-tailed Student's (P = 0.00032 and P = 0.0002 for tCX and tUEC, respectively). The nonbinding lectin PNA did not reduce gonococcal adherence (P = 0.26 and P = 0.24 for tCX and tUEC, respectively). Experiments were performed on at least three occasions, and representative results are shown.