Moreover, the difference seen in gene expression between viruses expressing or not expressing ICP27 also translates into a difference in terms of protein expression: at 10 h post-infection, the quantification of proteins constituting the AIM 2 inflammasome, such as AIM 2, ASC, and pro-caspase-1, are found to be consistently lower in cells infected with HSV-1 w.t. than in the virus lacking ICP27 gene. The gene discussed is CASP1; the disease is infection.