Fig. 4

P. gingivalis damages the integrity of endothelial cells through TLRs. a Western blot analysis of TLR signalling-related protein levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) after P. gingivalis (Pg) exposure for 2 h or 24 h. b The quantitative data of (a). c Confocal images of IRAK1 expression in HUVECs treated with Pg and/or the TLR antagonist OxPAPC (30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 2 h. d Western blot analysis of the p-IRAK1, IRAK1, and IRAK4 protein levels in the HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC (10, 20, 30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 2 h. e The quantitative data of (d). f The viability of HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC at different timepoints was measured by CCK-8 assays. g EdU staining of HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC (30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 48 h. Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). h The quantitative data of (g). i HUVECs showed remarkable morphological changes after Pg and/or OxPAPC treatment for 48 h. Representative images are presented. j Western blot analysis of the EndMT-related protein levels in the HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC (10, 20, 30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 72 h. k Transwell assays were used to test the migration of HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC (30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 48 h. l The quantitative data of (k). m Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry of the HUVECs treated with Pg and/or OxPAPC (30 μg·mL⁻¹) for 24 h. n The quantitative data of (m). Data were analysed using a two-tailed unpaired t-test (b) or one-way ANOVA (e, h, l, n) or a two-way ANOVA (f) and are presented as the mean ± SD. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 compared to the control group. ns = not significant. ^#P < 0.05; ^##P < 0.01; ^###P < 0.001 compared to the Pg group