FIG 7.

LANA downregulates the expression of MHC-II molecules. (A, C, and E) Relative mRNA levels of different HLA genes in LANA-expressing BJAB (LYF) cells compared to control BJAB cells with YFP (YFP) (A), in LANA-expressing THP-1 (LYF) cells compared to control THP-1 cells with YFP (C), and in KSHV-infected BC-3 and BCBL-1 PEL cells compared to BJAB cells (E). The mRNA levels were quantified by using qRT-PCR, and the expression levels of HLA genes were normalized to CIITA levels, as explained in Results. The errors bars represent standard deviations of the means from at least three experimental replicates. P values were calculated by two-tailed t tests comparing LYF cells with control YFP cells. **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001. (B, D, and F) Immune detection of MHC-II expression in BJAB-LYF and BJAB-YFP cells (B), in THP-1 LYF and YFP cells (D), and in BJAB, BC3, and BCBL1 cells (F). Flag-tagged LANA (YFP-LANA-Flag) and YFP were detected with an anti-Flag antibody, GAPDH, to show equal loading of the cell lysates. LANA in PEL cells was detected by using a rat anti-LANA antibody.