Figure 1.

Knockdown of Akt2 decreased TNF-induced IKKε levels in MDA-MB-231 cells. (A) Cells were transfected with Akt1, Akt2, Akt3, IKKε, or nontargeting SMARTpool siRNA. (B) Cells were transfected with Akt1, Akt2, or nontargeting siRNA and then treated with or without 1 nM TNF, as indicated in the Materials and Methods. Western blot analyses were carried out with indicated antibodies. (C) The intensity of IKKε was determined by densitometry using ImageJ software and normalized with actin. The data represent the fold change in IKKε level compared with control siRNA–transfected cells. Each bar represents the mean ± standard error of 4 independent experiments. The open bar represents the untreated cells, and the hatched bar represents TNF treatment. **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.005, using paired Student t test.