Fig. 2
Effect of TvAP33 on the infection of VK2/E6E7 cells by Trichomonas vaginalis. a Observation of T. vaginalis adherence to VK2/E6E7 cells under the fluorescence microscope (40×). The trophozoites were stained with red fluorescence by CytoTrace™ Orange. b Statistical analysis of the adherence rate of T. vaginalis on VK2/E6E7 cells. After T. vaginalis infection for 15 min and 30 min, the adhesion rate of trophozoites on VK2/E6E7 cells in the TvAP33 group was significantly lower than that on cells of the T. vaginalis group and the NC group. c Analysis of the proliferation of VK2/E6E7 cell by the MTT assay after VK2/E6E7 cells were infected with T. vaginalis. The proliferation index of VK2/E6E7 cells in the TvAP33 group was significantly higher than that of cells in the T. vaginalis group and NC group. d Detection of VK2/E6E7 cell apoptosis after VK2/E6E7 cells were infected with T. vaginalis. The early and late apoptosis rates of VK2/E6E7 cells in the TvAP33 group were significantly lower than those of the cells in the T. vaginalis group and the NC group. e Observation of VK2/E6E7 cell viability under the microscope (40×). The dead cells were stained with blue by trypan blue. f Statistical analysis of VK2/E6E7 cell viability after VK2/E6E7 cells were infected with T. vaginalis. VK2/E6E7 cell viability in the TvAP33 group was significantly increased, compared with cell viability in the T. vaginalis group and the NC group. The results of adherence rate, cell proliferation index, apoptosis and cell viability are presented as the mean ± SD. p ≥0.05, p <0.05, p <0.01 and p <0.001 represent statistical significances and was labeled as “ns”, “*”, “**” and “***”, respectively