FIG. 8.

Effect of dominant-negative p38 MAP kinase on VacA-dependent COX-2 promoter activation. AZ-521 cells transfected with the pcDNA3 control vector or a dominant-negative p38 construct (DN-p38) were transiently transfected with the luciferase reporter plasmid containing the COX-2 promoter (−327/+59) construct. Cells were incubated with 120 nM VacA for 0 or 6 h at 37°C. Relative changes in luciferase expression were measured. Open bars, activities without VacA; solid bars, activities with VacA incubation. Data are means ± standard deviations of values from three independent experiments with assays in duplicate. *, P < 0.02.