Figure 6. Administration of TAK1 by hydrodynamic injection led to HBV inhibition in a mouse model of chronic HBV infection.

Six-week old male C57BL/6 mice were co-injected with 10 μg of pAAV-HBV1.2 and 10 μg of flag-mTAK1 (n = 8) or control plasmid (n = 8) by hydrodynamic injection. Serum and liver samples were collected at different time points. (A,B) Serological markers of HBV infection (HBsAg, HBeAg) were assayed at the indicated time points. (C) Serological HBV DNA was assayed at the indicated time points. Data are presented as log₁₀ copies/ml. (D) Mouse liver tissues were collected from the control and TAK1 treated mice at 4 and 7 dpi, and HBV RI levels were determined by Southern blot. RC, relaxed circular; DL, double stranded linear; SS, single stranded. (E) Liver tissue sections obtained at 4 and 7 dpi were stained with anti-HBc antibodies (magnification, 200x, left panel). The number of HBcAg positive hepatocytes was counted, and data are presented as means ± SEM (right panel). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.