When the pre-conditioning period was extended to 24 h, both DMEM and RPMI induced germination, but negligible outgrowth, of spores (Figure 3A). Spore germination was eliminated by dialyzing (12-14 kDa molecular mass cutoff) the 24 h preconditioned DMEM or RPMI, but not by heat treatment (95°C for 10 min, or, 65°C for 30 min; data not shown), suggesting that the germinating factors were relatively small molecular weight, heat-resistant factors. Nonetheless, these studies confirm that in vitro models

can be established that maintain a non-germinating environment for at least the first 4 h of infection. Figure 3 The effects of pre-conditioned culture medium on the germination state of B. anthracis spores. DMEM (A, B) or RPMI (B) were pre-conditioned by incubating with monolayers selleck chemicals of RAW264.7 (A, B) or MH-S cells (B) at 37°C and under 5% CO2, in the absence (A) or presence (MOI 10) (B) of B. anthracis spores. (A, B). After 4 h (white bars) or 24 h (black bars) (A), or after 1 (white bars)

and 4 h (black bars) (B), the medium was removed from the monolayers, filter sterilized, and then incubated with B. selleck chemical anthracis spores in 96-well plates at 37°C and with rotary agitation. Germination and outgrowth of spores were monitored at indicated times by measuring O.D.600 nm. The results are rendered as the O.D.600 nm of the spore suspension at the indicated time relative to the original O.D.600 nm of the spore suspension at time = 0 of the 37°C incubation. P -values were calculated to evaluate the 6-phosphogluconolactonase statistical significance of the differences between O.D.600 nm values at the initial time point and O.D. O.D.600 nm values at the indicated times. For (B), BHI (gray bars) was used as a positive control for germination and outgrowth. (C) An equal number of B. anthracis spores were incubated at 37°C and under 5% CO2 in DMEM (no FBS) in the absence (white bars) or presence (black bars) of RAW264.7 cells (MOI 10). At indicated times, aliquots of culture medium were removed, and spores were evaluated for heat resistance. The results are rendered as the number of heat resistant spores relative to spores

incubated in DMEM alone, which were normalized to 1.0. P -values were calculated to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences in heat resistant spores between those incubated in the presence or absence of RAW264.7 cells. The data in (A-C) are combined from 3 independent experiments conducted in triplicate with error bars indicating standard deviations. Mammalian cells remain viable and functional for at least 4 h in FBS-free culture medium Although a non-germinating environment was maintained for at least 4 h in FBS-free media (Figure 3), it was unclear whether viable and functional cells could be maintained in FBS-free medium over this same time period. Studies to evaluate this issue revealed that over a 4 h period, RAW264.