FIG. 5.

NS5A transactivates the IL-8 promoter. (A) Effect of NS5A expression on luciferase expression under the control of the 546-luc IL-8 promoter. The 546-luc plasmid and pTRE-FL-NS5A-NR (10 μg each) were transfected into HeLa Tet-Off cells, and cells were split in triplicate and grown in media with or without tetracycline for 48 h. Cells were then treated or not treated with IFN for 24 h. The amount of luciferase activity in cell lysates was determined using a luminometer. (B) Effect of NS5A expression on luciferase activity under the control of truncated IL-8 promoters. Ten micrograms of the relevant reporter plasmid was transfected into HeLa FL-NS5A-NR cells, and cells were grown in media with or without tetracycline for 48 h. The amount of luciferase activity in cell lysates was determined using a luminometer. 546-luc, 133-luc, and 98-luc contain 546, 133, and 98 bases of the IL-8 promoter, respectively. Error bars represent standard deviations, and P values derived from Student's t tests are indicated.