Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Effects of Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells

Figure 3

A direct contact with ASCs was needed to induce bacterial permeabilization, which can be used to potentiate the antibiotic effects. (a) Medium without ASCs (white bars) or with ASCs (grey bars) was obtained after 6 hours of incubation without bacteria (naïve medium) or with bacteria (bacterial conditioned medium). After adequate preparation, the culture medium was reinfected with bacteria to the required concentration again for 6 hours (). (b) Either the inner (white) or the outer (black) part of 12 0.4 μm well inserts were infected with 3 strains (Ec, Fn, and Sg). , , and significantly increased membrane permeability; ^# between the internal and external parts (). (c) The Fn strain, chosen because there was no inhibitory effect of ASCs on agar, was exposed to different concentrations of two antibiotics (ampicillin or metronidazole), with or without ASCs for 6 hours. ^# shows a significant difference between -ASCs and +ASCs for a given time, after adjustment for multiple comparisons ().

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