siRNA inhibition of HCMV replication and virus progeny production during multiple rounds of virus replication at low multiplicity of infection.

<p>(A) MRC-5 cells were untreated or transfected with 50 nM of non-specific scrambled control siRNA (siSc) or siRNAs targeting HCMV transcripts UL54 (siUL54B), UL97 (siUL97A), and UL122/123 (siUL122B) and infected with HCMV AD169 (0.001 pfu/cell) at 24 hours post siRNA transfection. Representative images of HCMV-induced CPE are shown at 7 days post infection in siRNA transfected cells. Scale bars represent 100 µm. (B) HCMV growth curves in response to siRNA treatment or no treatment with (C) viral load relative to no siRNA treatment. Data presented as mean of triplicate biological experiments ± SD. Significant differences between siRNA treated and untreated groups is given as *p<0.05 and #p<0.0001 and shown in (C).