Figure 4

Phosphorylation of p38 in response to HCV core protein. A, Western blot analysis of human fibroblasts. NHLF were subjected to mock treatment (lane 1) or treatment with β-galactosidase (1 μg/ml) (lane 2) or β-galactosidase-HCV core protein (1 μg/ml) (lane 3) and incubated for 2 hours. Whole cell lysates of NHLF were subjected to SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with antibodies specific for either p38 or phosphorylated p38 (p38-p) as indicated. B, Immunofluorescent staining of NHLF (40×). NHLF cultured on coverslips were subjected to mock treatment or treatment with β-galactosidase (β-gal) or β-galactosidase-HCV core protein (Core) at the indicated concentrations and incubated for 30 min or 3 hr as indicated. Cells were fixed with methanol:acetone (1:1) prior to immunofluorescent staining using an antibody to phosphorylated 38 and a secondary Cy ^tm3-conjugated antibody. Cells were viewed and photographed using an Olympus BX41 microscope at 570 nm.