FIGURE 5.

Base editing of the S gene resulted in a reduction of intracellular HBsAg. (A) Levels of intracellular HBsAg in PLC/PRF/5‐CBE cells transduced with LV‐empty, LV‐NS‐gRNA or LV‐gRNA_S, as revealed by western blot. (B) Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurement of HBsAg in the cell lysate of PLC/PRF/5‐CBE cells transduced with LV‐empty, LV‐NS‐gRNA, or LV‐gRNA_S. (C) Immunostaining of HBsAg reveal a significant reduction in intracellular HBsAg in PLC/PRF/5‐CBE cells treated with gRNA_S. Scale bar: 50 μm. (D) Levels of HBx protein in PLC/PRF/5‐CBE cells treated with empty lentivector, NS gRNA or gRNA‐S, as revealed by western blot. Values and error bars represent the mean and SD of three independent biological replicates performed on different days (**p < 0.01; (two‐way ANOVA test). Abbreviations: DAPI, 4',6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole; MHBs, middle HBsAg; SHBs, small HBsAg