Fig 3. Overexpressed HGS suppressed HBV transcription and replication.

(A) Overexpression of HGS reduced HBV DNA, RNA, and capsid particles. Plasmid DNAs of an HBV replicon pCHT-9/3091 and an HGS expression vector were co-transfected into HepG2 and HuH-7 cells (2:1 ratio). Intracellular core particle-associated viral DNA, RNA and capsid particles were examined at day 5 post-transfection. (B) Overexpression of HGS inhibited HBV EnhII-Cp activity. The reporter plasmid of pGL3-EnhII-Cp (as depicted in Fig 2E), control plasmid pRL-TK, and two doses of HGS expression vector (1X: 25 ng, 4X: 100 ng), were co-transfected into HepG2 and HuH-7 cells. Three days post-transfection, cell lysates were subjected to Western blot and reporter analysis. Increasing doses of the HGS protein further suppressed HBV EnhII-Cp activity.