Figure 3.

AF extract suppressed poly I:C–activated IFN regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3), not NF-κB. (A) Submerged NHBE cells were pretreated with or without 1:320 wt/vol AF extract or the PAR-2 activator AC-55541 (100 nM) 1 hour before stimulation with poly I:C (5 μg/ml), and cellular protein was collected for each indicated time point and analyzed for phosphorylation of IRF-3 and NF-κB by Western blot. (B and C) Expressed bands for phospho–IRF-3 (B) and phospho–NF-κB (C) were quantified by using Image J software and normalized to internal control actin. Data represent mean ± SEM of three independent experiments, and Western blot images are representative of three independent experiments. *P < 0.01 by t test when compared with medium-only control. ^#P < 0.01 by t test when compared with cells treated with poly I:C only at the 180-minute time point.