Fig. 5.

Role of endogenous IFN-λs and IFN-β in the induction of U-ISGF3 components and U-ISGs in HCV-infected Huh-7–TLR3 cells. (A–D) Huh-7–TLR3 cells were infected with JFH1 HCVcc (MOI = 5) and cultured for 2 d. Next, 2,000 IU/mL of IFN-β–blocking antibody, 20 μg/mL IFN-λ–blocking antibody, or control IgG was added to the culture, and the cells were further maintained for 3 d and harvested. Immunoblotting of STAT1, PY-STAT1, STAT2, IRF9, and HCV core was performed (A), and the expression of Mx1 and OAS1 was examined by TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR (B). The expression of IFN-λ₁ and IFN-λ₂ was examined at the mRNA level using TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR (C) and at the protein level by ELISA (D). The data represent the means ± SEM (n = 3). **P < 0.01 compared with control.