FIGURE 3.

The effect of E2 on the MAPK signaling pathway in Neisseria meningitidis-infected cells. (A,B) HBMECs were treated with N. meningitidis isolates 341215 and 340542 (A), 130803 and 360624 (B). The levels of phosphorylated ERK, JNK, and P38, as MAPK downstream molecules, in host cells were detected using western blotting, with β-actin used as the control. (C,D) The changes of protein levels in HBMECs were analyzed using Image-J software, and the gray values were statistically analyzed using GraphPad Prism software. (E–H) The levels of downstream molecules of the MAPK pathway were detected by western blotting in MECs according to the above treatment scheme. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.