Fig. 7. Imp7 depletion inhibits HIV-1 infection. (A) Western blot showing specific depletion of imp7 by siRNA in HeLa cells and NP2 cells expressing CD4 and CCR5. Cells were transfected with 60 pmol siRNA duplex and analysed by western blot 24–96 h post-transfection. Imp7, anti-importin 7 siRNA; scr, scramble siRNA. Levels of Ran are shown as loading controls. (B) HeLa cells transfected with imp7 siRNA (grey bars) or with a scramble siRNA (black bars) were infected at an m.o.i. of 0.01 with HIV-1 or MLV vectors pseudotyped with VSV-G. (C) HeLa CD4 cells transfected with imp7 siRNA (grey bars) or scramble siRNA (black bars) were infected with the HIV-1 vector harbouring the gp120 envelope or an MLV vector pseudotyped with VSV-G. (D) NP2 cells, similarly transfected with imp7 siRNA (grey bars) or scramble siRNA (black bars), were infected at the same m.o.i. with SF-162 HIV-1 primary isolate or with amphotropic MLV. Infected cells were counted 48 h post-infection. Values are expressed as mean number of infected cells ± SD. HIV titres in imp7-depleted cells were reduced compared with both scramble siRNA-treated cells and MLV-infected cells (paired Student t-test, P < 0.004).