Figure 3.

miR-146a mimics suppress the anti-IVA effects of baicalin on H1N1 and H3N2. A549 cells were treated with 20 µg/ml baicalin and transfected with blank or mimic NC or miR-146a mimics. Twenty-four h post-transfection, the cells were infected with H1N1 and H3N2 at an MOI of 0.5. (A and D) At 48 h post-infection, the copy number of virions of H1N1 (A) or H3N2 (D) was measured by quantitative PCR. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. the control group; ^##P<0.01 vs. the baicalin group. (B and E) Total viral yields of H1N1 (B) or H3N2 (E) were determined by standard plaque assays. **P<0.01 vs. the control group; ^##P<0.01 vs. the baicalin group. (C and F) Protein expression of NP and M1 of H1N1 and H3N2 was determined by western blot analysis. IVA, influenza virus A; PFU, plaque-forming unit; MOI, multiplicity of infection.