Figure 2

Effect of sugars on cytotoxicity of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC on bovine lung cells in vitro. Representative photomicrographs (320 ×) of EBL cell morphology upon mycoplasma infection in the presence of sugars. Pictures were taken after a 4 h incubation with the African field strain 8740 in the presence of sucrose (2 μM, panel A), lactose (200 μM, panel B) or the monosaccharide glucose (10 mM, panel C) and again after 24 h (panels D-F). After 24 h, pictures of EBL cell monolayers incubated with the less virulent vaccine strain T1/44 in the presence of these three sugars were also taken (panels G-I). Catalase (160 U/ml) was added to the EBL cells, which were then incubated for 24 h with strain 8740 and sucrose (panel J), or with strain T1/44 and sucrose (panel K). Controls performed to exclude eventual toxic effects of catalase alone (panel L), sugars alone (e.g., sucrose, panel M) or of strain 8740 without sugars (panel N) are also shown. Panel O shows EBL cells that were not treated at all.