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Figure 2 | BMC Infectious Diseases

Figure 2

From: Low pH immobilizes and kills human leukocytes and prevents transmission of cell-associated HIV in a mouse model

Figure 2

Viability of PBMCs as a function of time and pH. PBMCs in seminal plasma were mixed in various volume ratios (1:2, 1:1, 2:1) with BufferGel to give final pH values of 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Live PBMCs (as detected calcein-AM) and dead PBMCs (as detected by ethidium homodimer) were counted as a function of time and pH. As a comparison, PBMCs in seminal plasma were mixed with a 0.2% Carbopol (approximately 1/20th the amount in BufferGel), and acidified to pH 4.5 with HCl, or maintained at pH 7.4. Also, PBMCs in seminal plasma without Carbopol were acidified to pH 4.5 with HCl. Each point represents the mean (± SD) of three to six experiments. For experiments with BufferGel, results of analysis of variance for the main effects of pH and time and their interaction were P < 0.001. Scheffe's multiple comparison procedure was used to compare pH effects. The pH 5.0 curve is significantly different from the pH 4.0 and 4.5 curves (P < 0.001). By linear regression, the pH 4.5 BufferGel curve is significantly different from the pH 4.5 HCl curve (P < 0.001).

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