Infection of HeLa cells with adenoviruses expressing shRNAs (Ad-shOptn1 and Ad-shOptn2) resulted in significant decrease in optineurin protein level after 72 hours of infection, as determined by western blotting (Fig. 6A); however there was no significant change in the level of IκBα or NF-κB p65. This evidence concerns the gene OPTN and infection.