Expression of hepatitis B virus preS 2 protein in transgenic mice liver

Objective: To analyze the distribution of preS 2 protein and the pathological changes in liver tissue of hepatitis B virus 3′ truncated preS/S gene transgenic mice. Methods: After restriction enzyme digestion, the pcDNA3.1 preS/S t plasmids, including 3′ truncated preS/S gene and CMV promoter were microinjected into male pronuclei of mice zygotes. The pups and offsprings were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at genomic DNA level. Expression of preS/S t gene in transgenic mice were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. H E staining was used to analyze the pathological changes. Results: Following microinjection of coding sequence of pcDNA3.1 preS/S t, the embyros were transferred to oviducts of pseudopregnant females. Fifteen pups were born and 7 of them survived, two of them were verified to integrate the preS/S t gene in their genomic DNA by PCR assay, named C57 TgN( preS/S t)SMMU. With immunohistochemistry, preS 2 protein was detected in hepatocytes cytoplasm of C57 TgN( preS/S t)SMMU transgenic mice. Lymphocyte effusion was found near the central vein of liver tissue and NP of hepatocytes increased in transgenic mice by H E staining. Then the transgenic mice were mated with normal mice to establish transgenic mice strains. Now one of them had F 2 offsprings. Conclusion:We have established preS/S t gene transgenic mice C57 TgN( preS/S t)SMMU, which is a valuable animal system to study the roles of preS/S t gene in development of hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo .