FIGURE 2.

HBx expression causes impaired hepatic glucose metabolism in mice. A, growth curves were constructed by plotting mean ± S.E. body weight of WT and HBxTg mice (n = 11–16). B, comparison of liver and epididymal fat weight/body weight between WT (n = 7) and HBxTg (n = 8) mice at 6 months of age. C, glucose concentration in blood derived from mouse tail vein in 12-h fasted and ad libitum-fed mice at 6 months of age. D and E, insulin sensitivity was examined by a glucose tolerance test (D) and insulin tolerance test (E). Mice were 6 months of age (n = 10–13). F, glycogen content was measured in liver of 12-h fasted and ad libitum-fed mice (n = 6). Periodic acid-Schiff stained paraffin-embedded liver sections of HBxTg mice at 6 months of age. The scale bar represents 100 μm. G, glucose amount secreted in media from cultured primary hepatocytes of WT and HBxTg mice. Data are presented as the mean ± S.E. (*, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001).