To determine if a decrease in intracellular HCV RNA in Spn4A.RRLL(s)-treated cells ( Figure 5C ) is due to reduced viral replication or alternatively due to reduced HCV entry, we examined cells transfected directly with total genomic HCV RNA for 3 days following 48 hours of adenovirus-mediated serpin expression. We found that under these experimental conditions, when receptor-mediated HCV entry was bypassed, no significant . Acquisition and analysis were performed using the same intensity and threshold settings across all images. (C) The LD marker ADRP was detected in cells treated with Spn4A.RRLL(r), Spn4A.RRLL(s), and Ad-Empty (control) using rabbit anti-ADRP antibody (green), and images were obtained using an Olympus Fluoview FV1000 laser scanning confocal changes in intracellular HCV RNA levels were detected by QPCR ( Figure 5C ). Examination of total cell extracts by Western blot revealed that HCV core levels are not reduced following HCV RNA transfection in serpin-treated cells ( Figure S5) , confirming that Spn4A.RRLL(s) does not interfere with HCV replication when HCV entry is bypassed.