Figure 2

Analysis of HBV RNA transcripts. HBV RNA was analyzed three days after transfection of Huh7 cells with wild-type genome or variant HBV DNAs. NC, negative control, only pGEM-4z transfected. (A) Exemplary Northern blot of total RNA detected with a full-length HBV DNA probe. GAPDH RNA was detected as loading control. (B) Quantitative evaluation of the 3.5-kb pg (pregenomic)/preC (precore)-RNA signals in Northern blots relative to wild-type was analyzed by Image J software. Mean values and standard errors of at least three independent experiments are indicated. (C) Quantitative evaluation of preS1-mRNA and pre-S2/S-mRNA signals relative to wild-type was performed by Image J software. Mean values and standard errors of at least three independent experiments are shown. * indicates p < 0.05; ** indicates p < 0.01.