Effects of hepatitis E virus infection on interferon production via ISG15

Figure 3 Interferon-stimulated gene 15 silencing enhances the production of Interferon-α/β in C3A cells. Three siRNA inhibiting ISG15 (siISG15) and control-siRNA (si-control) were constructed, and C3A cells were cotransfected with 20 nmol/L ISG15-targeted siRNA (siISG15) or control-siRNA (si-control) along with HEV RNA. A: The mRNA level of ISG15 was estimated by reverse transcription-PCR; B: The protein level of ISG15 was estimated by western blotting. Next, the siRNA2 was transfected into C3A cells that had been pretreated with HEV RNA, and the impact of siISG15 on IFN was investigated; C: The level of IFN-α/β was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01. HEV: Hepatitis E virus; IFN: Interferon; ISG: IFN-stimulated gene; si: Small interfering.