Fig. 8.

Depletion of STAT3 reduces the development of zosteriform lesions. a MEF cells transfected with STAT3 siRNA or negative control siRNA were infected with HSV-1, and the expression levels of STAT3, pSTAT3 Y705, ICP0, and TK were analyzed with western blot. b Quantification of the mRNA levels of ICP0 and TK in MEF cells transfected with STAT3 siRNA and infected with HSV-1 with real-time PCR. c Thermosensitive gel (100 μL) containing M siSTAT3-2, M siNEAT1v2, negative control, or mock was placed on the skin of C57BL/6 mice. Two days later, the skin was cut off, and the cell lysates were harvested. The relative expression of STAT3 or NEAT1 was determined with real-time PCR. d The mice that developed zosteriform lesions were treated with thermosensitive gel containing M siSTAT3-2, M siNEAT1v2 or the negative control siRNA on their skin. The zosteriform lesions were observed on days 0, 1, 3, and 6 after incubation with the gel. The relative sizes of the zosteriform lesions were quantified by measuring the widths of the zosteriform lesions at indicated time points (e). **p < 0.05. f. Schematic model of the roles of NEAT1, P54nrb and PSPC1 in viral gene expression