Figure 3.

Type I IFN production and IRF3 phosphorylation by MafB inhibition in CD14⁺ monocytes from chronic hepatitis C patients (n = 16). CD14⁺ monocytes were transfected with control siRNA or MafB siRNA. Cells and supernatants were harvested 48 h post-transfection. (A) MafB mRNA relative level was semi-quantified by real-time PCR in untransfected, control siRNA transfected, and MafB siRNA transfected CD14⁺ monocytes. Significances were determined using SNK-q test. (B) MafB protein expression was measured by Western blot in untransfected, control siRNA transfected, and MafB siRNA transfected CD14⁺ monocytes. IFN-α1 and IFN-β levels in the cultured supernatants were measured by ELISA. Comparison of (C) IFN-α1 and (D) IFN-β expression in untransfected, control siRNA transfected, and MafB siRNA transfected CD14⁺ monocytes. Significances were determined using Dunn’s multiple comparison test or one-way ANOVA. (E) Phosphorylated IRF3 and total IRF3 was measured by Western blot in untransfected, control siRNA transfected, and MafB siRNA transfected CD14⁺ monocytes. (F) Comparison of IRF3 phosphorylation and total IRF3 in untransfected, control siRNA transfected, and MafB siRNA transfected CD14⁺ monocytes. Individual level for each enrolled subject was shown.