Long-term ethanol exposure alters Caco-2 cells vulnerability to bacteria-induced cytotoxicity (Uninjured/intact model).

<p>Ethanol- or mock- treated Caco-2 cells were grown to confluence. They were then infected with indicated bacterial pathogens at MOI = 5 (C–J). Cytotoxicity was assessed by the uptake of PI impermeant nuclear dye (red = dead) using time-lapse IF videomicroscopy (A and G). Cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring the total PI fluorescence at 15 min intervals by Image J and plotted in (B–F and H). Ethanol treated Caco-2 monolayers show increased cytotoxicity in the presence of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> (A and B) and other bacteria (C–F). The ethanol-treated cells are more resistant to cytotoxicity induced by <i>L. monocytogenes</i> (G and H). All frames are representative of three experiments. Infections were done at MOI = 5.