Figure 3.

mIL-21-expressing rHBV replicon induces viral clearance in HBV persistence mice. BALB/c mice injected with BPS replicon plasmid using hydrodynamic injection (HDI) via tail vein that remained persistently positive for serum HBV antigens for 4 weeks were injected using HDI twice (solid arrows), at a 3-week interval, with 25 μg of 5c3c-mIL-21 or 5c3c-mIL-21^null, or left untreated. Sera were collected at indicated time points and analyzed for HBsAg (A), HBsAb (B), HBeAg (C), total HBV DNA (pooled sera, D), rHBV DNA (pooled sera, E), ALT (F) and murine IL-21 (pooled sera, G). Group means and SEM within group are presented with group sizes (n) indicated. Dotted lines represent cut-off thresholds (A, B and C, left panels, E) pre-injection baseline (D) or lower limit of quantification (F and G), respectively. Dotted lines represent cut-off thresholds (A, B and C, left panels, G), lower limit of quantification (D and E) or pre-injection baseline (F), respectively. Data from 5c3c-mIL-IL-21 and 5c3c-mIL-21^null groups are compared against untreated group and statistical significance calculated using log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test (A, B and C, right panels) or unpaired two-tailed t-test (F). *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001. w.p.i., weeks post first injection of rHBV replicon. geq, genome equivalents.