Gene expression changes in IECs after ESP exposure.

(A) Heat-map of differentially expressed genes in the differentiated human colon carcinoma cell line Caco-2 exposed to Giardia intestinalis excretory secretory products. (B) Induction of AP-1 activity using a luciferase reporter plasmid transfected into Caco-2 cells. The cells were exposed to ESPs of Giardia intestinalis isolate WB or GS for 2h or 6h through a Transwell insert placed in the tissue culture plate (Mean ± SD, n = 4). (C) Relative RNA levels (Mean ± SD, n = 4) of inflammatory genes in differentiated Caco-2 cells incubated with different amounts of ESPs (5μg/ml and 10μg/ml) collected from Giardia intestinalis isolate WB or GS. Significant results in the panels are indicated by (*) for P < 0.05 or (**) for P < 0.01. (D) ELISA measurement (Mean ± SD, n = 3) of interleukin-8 (IL-8), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (CCL20) in the medium of differentiated human colon carcinoma cell line, Caco-2, exposed to ESPs of G. intestinalis WB or GS isolate through a Transwell insert. No statistical significance was found between controls and treatments (P > 0.05).