Fig. 1

a, b) Effects of PTX3 on HUVEC ultrastructure. Representative micrographs of control (a) and PTX3-treated (b) HUVECs. In (a), mitochondria are well-conformed, while in a treated cell (b) mitochondria appear with diluted matrices (arrows) and the cytoplasm contains large vacuoles. M = Mitochondria, N = Nucleus, V=Vacuole. Scale bar = (a) 0.33 μm; (b) 0.5 μm. c, d) Effects of PTX3 on bioenergetic profile. In c), oxygen consumption rate (OCR) measured in HUVECs exposed or not to PTX3 for 1 or 12 h in real time, under basal conditions and in response to indicated mitochondrial compounds: oligomycin, carbonylcyanide-4- (trifluoromethoxy) -phenylhydrazone (FCCP), or antimycin A plus rotenone (Ant/Rot), using an XFe-96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Indices of mitochondrial respiratory function calculated from the bioenergetic profiles (as described in Materials and Methods). In d), extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) measured in HUVECs exposed or not to PTX3 for 1 or 12 h in real time under basal conditions and in response to glucose, oligomycin, or 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). Indices of glycolytic pathway activation calculated from the bioenergetic profiles (as described in Materials and Methods). Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. One representative out of two independent experiments. Statistical analysis by Wilcoxon matched-pairs test. (*p<0.05; **p<0.0005)