Figure 5 Inhibition of transforming growth factor (TGF) α transcription and protein expression by SN50 in hepatitis C virus (HCV) core‐expressing hepatoma cells. (A) Huh‐7, HepG2 and Hep3B cells were transfected with 0.5 μg of pGL‐nuclear factor (NF)‐κB/TP and indicated amounts of the effector plasmid (pcDNA3/core) or the mock plasmid and incubated for 24 h in the presence or absence of SN50, an inhibitor of nuclear translocation of NF‐κB or SN50M (mutated and inactive form) at a concentration of 50 μg/ml. *p<0.05. (B) Cells were transfected with 2 μg of the effector plasmid (pcDNA3/core) and incubated for 24 h in the presence or absence of SN50 or SN50M (50 μg/ml). After 24 h of transfection, whole cell lysates were collected and analysed by western blotting. The result shown is representative of three independent experiments. NT, no treatment.