title: Transgenic mice replicating hepatitis B virus but lacking expression of the major HBsAg.
abstract: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) transgenic mice replicating the viral genome at high level but lacking expression of the small envelope protein (HBsAg) have been produced using a terminally redundant viral DNA construct (HBV 1.4). The generation of viable infectious progeny was dependent on sex and age of mice. Viral mRNA was abundant in liver and kidneys and at low levels in other organs of the mice. No viral particles or HBV envelope proteins could be detected in sera of mice. Despite expression of non-secreted LHBs and MHBs proteins in the liver, there was no accumulation of viral particles in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes and no necroinflammatory hepatitis was observed. Therefore, these mice represent an excellent model for studies of the role of HBsAg in viral assembly, antiviral immune responses, the further understanding of HBV immunopathogenesis, and the development of antiviral vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halverscheid
authors.forename: Nina K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mannes
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weth
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleinschmidt
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reifenberg
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schirmbeck
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassal
authors.forename: Hubert E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geissler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000821:virology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000821:virology; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000097:blood; D014771:Virion / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins