Figure 4. Chimeric Ad-HBV vector delivering truncated MMP-8 achieves similar reduction of hydroxyproline content in cirrhotic liver as a conventional full-length MMP-8 Ad vector.

Hydroxyproline (HYP) contents in livers from normal rats (group E), or rats with TAA-induced cirrhosis (groups A–D) and treated with the chimeric Ad-HBV vectors Ad-CH-tMMP8 (group A) or Ad-CH-RFP2 (group C), or the conventional Ad vector Ad-C-MMP8 (group B) or saline (group D) were determined 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment, using a standard colorimetric assay. Both MMP-8 vectors achieved a significant reduction in HYP content compared to the Ad-CH-RFP2 vector and saline. Error bars represent standard deviation (n = 3).