Fig. 8: Phage treatment improved lung epithelial cell integrity during P. aeruginosa infection in vitro.

Measuring the transepithelial electric resistance (TEER) of epithelial cell monolayers by using ECISTM system upon infection with PAO1 (MOI 1) and subsequent treatment with a meropenem (Mero; MIC = 1 µg/mL), b the Pseudomonas-specific phage cocktail (Phages), or c a combination of both in indicated concentrations for 72 h. d Direct comparison of adjunctive phage therapy and single therapy. Means of normalized resistance (4000 Hz) versus time curves are shown; each isolate was run in 3 independent experiments while each condition where run in triplicates (96W10idf). Dotted line indicates the starting time of starving (−2 h), infection (0 h), and treatment (2 h). Uninfected Control and Infection Control (PAO1 MOI 1) same dataset in each figure. Uninfected Control are only HPAEpiC. Color coding for groups: Uninfected control group: black, Infected control group: red, Meropenem group: shades of green, Phages group: shades of blue; Combination group: shades of orange. ECIS electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, HPAEpiC human primary alveolar epithelial cells, MIC minimum inhibitory concentration. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.