FIG 2.

Inhibition of the EGFR/ERK pathway reduces IAV replication. (A and B) A549 cells were pretreated with 1 μM afatinib (Afa), 10 μM U0126, or DMSO as a vehicle control for 12 h, followed by WSN, PR8, or CA04 infection (MOI = 1) for 30 min, and the protein samples were harvested. The expression levels of p-EGFR and p-ERK were detected by Western blotting. (C and D) Culture supernatants were harvested at 15 h postinfection and subjected to plaque assay to determine the virus titer. (E) A549 cells were transfected with siRNA corresponding to EGFR (siEGFR) or scrambled control siRNA (siCtrl) for 24 h, and the knockdown efficiency of siEGFR was determined by Western blotting. (F) After transfection with siEGFR or siCtrl at 80 nM for 24 h, the cells were exposed to WSN (MOI = 1) for 15 h, and then the culture supernatants were collected for plaque assay. Data are means and standard deviations (SD). *, P < 0.05.