FIG. 8.

Quantitative analysis of the effect of 0.2 μM 3TC on the HBV DNA content of media from HepG2 cells expressing increasing levels of HBV. HepG2 cultures were infected with 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 PFU of HBV baculovirus/cell and were treated with 0.2 μM 3TC starting 24 h p.i. Cultures were fed a fresh 3TC-supplemented medium daily. After 3 and 6 days of treatment (4 and 7 days p.i.), DNA was extracted from the media of treated and untreated control cultures and analyzed by Southern blotting. The percent reduction of HBV DNA in the treated cultures was determined by laser densitometry of suitable exposures of the Southern blot. The percent reduction of HBV DNA after 4 and 7 days p.i. is plotted against the MOI. Data shown for 4 days p.i. represent a quantitative evaluation of the data shown in Fig. 7.