Pseudomonas aeruginosa Induction of Apoptosis in Respiratory Epithelial Cells: Analysis of the Effects of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Dysfunction and Bacterial Virulence Factors

Airway epithelial cells can respond to infection by activating several signaling pathways. We examined the induction of apoptosis in response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 in normal cells and several cystic fibrosis (CF) and corrected cell lines. Epithelial cells in monolayers with tight junctions, confirmed by apical ZO-1 staining demonstrated by confocal microscopy, were entirely resistant to P…