FIG. 10.

Effects of wild-type (pHBV1-wt) and pre-S2 deletion mutant (pHBV1) of the HBV-producing plasmids on HBsAg secretion and HDV assembly. Equal amounts of three different genotypes of HDV- and HBV- expressing plasmids were cotransfected into Huh-7 cells. Both cells and spent media were collected on day 9 posttransfection. (A) Schematic representation of the predicted amino acid sequences of the pre-S2 domains expressed by the wild type (pHBV1-wt) and a mutant (pHBV1) of the HBV-producing plasmids. (B) Analysis of HDV RNA, HDAg, and HBV DNA in cellular lysates. (C) Analysis of HDV RNA, HDAg, HBV DNA, and HBsAg in culture media. Analyses of intracellular and extracellular HDV RNA, HDAg, HBV DNA and HBsAgs were performed as described in the legend of Fig. 2. (D) Immunofluorescence staining of HBsAg and HDAg in transfected Huh-7 cells. All cells were doubly stained with mouse anti-HBsAg and human anti-HDV antibodies after 9 days of transfection.