<i>tnf</i> gene expression in infected-BMMΦ.

<p>Total RNA was extracted at 10 h after mock infection or MCMV, MCMVdie1 and MCMVrev infection of BMMΦ. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed for relative expression levels of <i>tnf</i> mRNA in these cells. Shown are relative levels of <i>tnf</i> gene expression, which have been normalized against the <i>gapdh</i> gene expression and calibrated against MCMV induced-gene expression. SE bars are also shown (n = 3). Significance of differences in mRNA levels in MCMV and MCMVrev infected cells compared to mock infected cells was p<0.05 (*) and for comparison between MCMVdie1 and MCMV or mock p<0.01 (**), respectively (Student's <i>t</i>-test).