Figure 3

The effect of HPV 16 E2 on gC1qR expression levels, the p38 MAPK/JNK signalling pathway and apoptosis of gC1qR-silenced cervical squamous carcinoma cell lines (C33a and SiHa). Cells were treated with unmodified media (control) or HPV 16 E2 vector. After 72 h, the cells were transfected with 100 ng of gC1qR siRNA or 100 ng of negative siRNA. A: Relative gC1qR gene expression levels were analysed by real-time PCR. B: gC1qR protein levels were measured using Western blot analysis. The graph depicts the relative gC1qR protein levels normalised to actin. The results are expressed as the means ± SD of three separate experiments. C: Cells were lysed and examined for p*-p38 and p*-JNK by Western blot analysis. The graph shows relative phosphorylated p38 MAPK and JNK protein levels normalised to total p38 MAPK and JNK, respectively. The results are expressed as the means ± SD of three separate experiments. D: Numbers of apoptotic cells were measured by flow cytometry. The results are expressed as the means ± SD from 3 independent experiments. ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05, ^#p > 0.05 versus the HPV 16 E2 (−), gC1qR siRNA (−) and negative siRNA (−) groups; ^▲▲▲p < 0.001, ^▲▲p < 0.01, ^▲p < 0.05 versus HPV 16 E2 (+), gC1qR siRNA (−) and negative siRNA (−) groups; ^△△△p < 0.001, ^△△p < 0.01, ^△p < 0.05 versus HPV 16 E2 (+), gC1qR siRNA (+) and negative siRNA (−) groups.