Figure 1
Ct infects decidualised ESC. ESC were infected with Ct MOI 2 following an in-vitro decidualisation protocol. Non decidualised uninfected ESC, uninfected decidualised ESC and UV-Ct treated ESC were used as controls. 48 hours post infection DNA was collected for qPCR and cells were stained with Giemsa. Cell counts were conducted in 15 fields of view per well measuring 0.32 mm2 each. (A) Non decidualised uninfected ESC were elongated and thin. (B) Decidualised uninfected ECS became rounder and larger compared to non decidualised ESC. (C) Ct infected decidualised ESC displayed signs of infection and contained inclusions that were stained purple by Giemsa stain (highlighted by green circles). (D) UV-Ct treated decidualised ESC did not contain chlamydial inclusions and resembled uninfected decidualised ESC in appearance. (E) 25.000–75.000 Ct plasmid DNA copies were detected in UV-Ct treated ESC. Ct infected ESC had a significantly higher number of 1.200.000–3.200.000 plasmid copies per sample, indicating proliferation of Ct only in infected cells (RM one-way ANOVA-Friedman’s test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test, p = 0.0094, n = 4). (F) Cell counts on Giemsa stained ESC indicated that decidualised uninfected cells were significantly fewer compared to non-decidualised controls (RM one-way ANOVA-Friedman’s test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test, p = 0.0185, n = 4). In contrast, UV-Ct treated cells and Ct infected cell numbers were similar to uninfected decidualised ESC. Scale bars equal 200 μm. Graphs show the mean and standard deviation.
