Figure 3.

Enhanced expression of TIMP-1 reduces the recruitment of IHLs and ameliorates the severity of liver disease. Two groups of age- and serum HBeAg-matched female transgenic mice from lineage 1.3.32 (six mice per group) were hydrodynamically injected (hydr. inj.) with either pcDNA3.1-TIMP-1 (TIMP-1 + CTL, black bars) or an empty vector (Vector + CTL, white bars), and 2 days later they received 1 × 10⁷ HBsAg-specific CTLs. Mice were bled, sacrificed, and perfused; the livers were harvested on day 1 after CTL transfer (day 3 after hydrodynamic injection). Serum TIMP-1 ELISA (left panel) measured 1 day after hydrodynamic injection and total IHLs (middle panel) or sALT (right panel) measured 1 day after CTL injection were also compared with two additional groups of transgenic littermates (six mice per group) that were hydrodynamically injected with pcDNA3.1-TIMP-1 (TIMP-1, dark gray bars) or saline (NaCl, light gray bars).