Fig 2: M0 markers’ expression by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced THP-1 human macrophages (ATCC® TIB-202TM). Expression in macrophages infected at an MOI = 102 with strains ATCC® 43717TM (serotype a), ATCC® 43718TM (serotype b), and ATCC® 43719TM (serotype c), 2 and 24 h after infection. For relative expression, mRNA expression in non-infected (ni) macrophages was considered as 1, as a reference for fold-change in expression using 18S rRNA expression levels as a normalizing endogenous control. Data are represented as fold-change means and standard deviation of three independent experiments performed in duplicate. Asterisks were used to indicate a value of p considered statistically significant (* p < 0.05).

Fig 3: M1 markers’ expression by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced THP-1 human macrophages (ATCC® TIB-202TM). Expression in macrophages infected at an MOI = 102 with strains ATCC® 43717TM (serotype a), ATCC® 43718TM (serotype b), and ATCC® 43719TM (serotype c), 2 and 24 h after infection. For relative expression, mRNA expression in non-infected (ni) macrophages was considered as 1, as a reference for fold-change in expression using 18S rRNA expression levels as a normalizing endogenous control. Data are represented as fold-change means and standard deviation of three independent experiments performed in duplicate. Asterisks were used to indicate a value of p considered statistically significant (* p < 0.05).

Fig 4: Different types of immune cells display different sensitivities to filtered bacterial supernatants. The GAS ATCC 19165 supernatant is more toxic to THP-1 and to Jurkat cells than to Raji cells (a). The GAS 50362 supernatant is more toxic to Jurkat cells compared to THP-1 cells; Raji cells are the most resistant (b). The GGS ATCC 12394 supernatant shows comparable toxicity towards Raji and Jurkat cells; THP-1 cells are the most resistant (c). The GGS 5804 supernatant is more toxic to Raji cells compared to Jurkat cells; THP-1 cells are the most resistant (d).

Fig 5: Effects of SPIONHAp on side scatter after 24 h of incubation on (a) El4 cells (ATCC® TIB-39™) and (b) THP-1 THP-1 (ATCC® TIB-202™).