FIG 3.

Adherence of N. gonorrhoeae to cervical epithelial cells (tCX) and urethral epithelial cells (tUEC) in the presence and absence of free glycan. Adherence of N. gonorrhoeae to tCX and tUEC is reduced in the presence of a mannose competitor, α-methyl d-mannoside. Results are presented as the percentage of adherent bacteria from triplicate glycan-treated samples relative to that of the no-treatment control [results for no-treatment controls set at 100% are (4.3 ± 0.3) × 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 t test. Tn antigen is a negative-control nonbinding glycan that does not affect bacterial adherence (P > 0.19). Experiments were performed on at least three occasions, and representative results are shown.