Figure 1From: Proteases secreted by Trichinella spiralis intestinal infective larvae damage the junctions of the intestinal epithelial cell monolayer and mediate larval invasionTranswell experimental system used for identifying direct interactions between the main IIL ESP proteases and Caco-2 cells. Caco-2 cells were cultured on glass coverslips in a 12-well Transwell chamber, and 200 IIL pre-treated with various inhibitors were added to the insert in serum-free MEM medium and incubated at 37 ℃ for 2 h. The inhibitor doses used in the Transwell assay were 1.25 mM PMSF, 24 μM E-64, 2.4 mM 1,10-Phe and 10 μM pepstatin. There was a filter membrane on the inserted sieve to prevent IIL from invading and destroying the Caco-2 cell monolayer, but ESPs could pass through the insert and directly contact the monolayer, thus affecting epithelial TJ proteins.Back to article page