Figure 5.

Characteristics of catheter biofilms from clinically isolated Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE), Candida tropicalis (CT), SE simultaneously mixed with CT (SE + CT), and preformed SE biofilms following by CT (SE > CT) with l-cysteine (50 mM) as determined by crystal violet intensity (A); and microbial burdens (bacteria and fungi) by culture from the biofilms (B, C) are demonstrated (independent triplicate experiments were performed). The responses of macrophages against biofilms from different groups as determined by cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10) in supernatant (D–F) with expressed genes for cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10) (D–I) and inflammatory receptors (TLR-2, TLR-4, and TLR-6) (J–L) are demonstrated (independent triplicate experiments were performed). Notably, the control groups (Control) were macrophages incubated with only culture media, while all gene expressions were calculated relative to the control group.