FIG. 5.
Effects of IFN-α on IRF-1 and PKR expression in primary cultures of human hepatocytes. Immunoblot analysis was performed with anti-IRF-1 and anti-PKR antibodies after 8 days of culture in infected and noninfected primary hepatocytes treated with 5,000 U of IFN-α per ml and in Daudi cells treated with 1,000 U of IFN-α per ml used as positive controls. Cells not treated with IFN-α were used as controls. Immunoblot experimental results (a), together with their quantitative representation after National Institutes of Health image analysis (b) are shown. (b) (Left) Effect of 1,000 U of IFN-α per ml on Daudi cells harvested after 4 and 16 h of treatment. (Center) Effect of 5,000 U of IFN-α per ml on hepatocyte culture FT172 harvested after 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 h of treatment. (Right) Effect of HCV infection of the primary hepatocyte culture on the effect of IFN-α on IRF-1 and PKR expression. Similar results (not shown) were obtained in cultures FT164 and FT171.