Caspase-3, -8 and -9 activation in macrophages after <i>in vitro</i> infection with <i>L</i>. <i>amazonensis</i>.

<p>Peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c (left panel) or C57BL/6 mice (right panel) were infected or not (NI) with <i>L</i>. <i>amazonensis</i>. After the indicated time points cell lysates were analysed for caspase activation. Caspase-3 activation was analyzed by Western blot (A) and quantified by densitometry using β-actin and the band above pro-caspase-3 as a load control (B). Caspase-8 and caspase-9 activation was analyzed by CaspaseGlo8 (C) or CaspaseGlo9 (D), both detected by luminescence. For caspases 8 and 9, values represent relative light units (RLU) ± SE from two, three or four (depending on the time point) independent experiments, except for time 14h for caspase-9 in C57BL/6 macrophages a value obtained from one experiment. Statistically significant differences between the two groups indicated, at a <i>P</i> < 0.05, are represented by (*).