Interestingly, MKN-28 cells infected with ΔhtrA at both 2-h and 6-h time points exhibited increased TNF expression implying that HtrA may be involved in TNF signaling, a view that was supported by the observed deregulation of ZFP36, BCL3 and TNF during infection with the ΔhtrA mutant. Here, TNF is linked to infection.