HMGB1 and infection: To understand whether HMGB1 is involved in BoHV-1 productive infection, we initially detected HMGB1 protein levels in MDBK cells (a widely used bovine kidney cell line that support virus replication) following virus infection at later stages [at 24 hours post infection (hpi).] Relative to that in the mock-infected cells, steady-state HMGB1 protein levels were decreased following virus infection (Figure 1a).