Fig. 8: HBsAg inhibits CBFβ expression.

a PBMCs from HBV patients and healthy people were isolated and subjected to RNA extraction, and Q-PCR was performed to evaluate CBFβ mRNA levels. b HepG2 cells were treated with serum from HBV patients or healthy people for 8 h. RNA was then extracted, and Q-PCR was performed to evaluate CBFβ mRNA levels. c HepG2 cells were treated as indicated. Whole-cell lysates were prepared and subjected to immunoblotting using CBFβ and GAPDH antibodies. RNA was then extracted, and Q-PCR was performed to evaluate CBFβ mRNA levels. d HepG2 cells were treated with IFN-λ or HBsAg or both as indicated. Whole-cell lysates were prepared and subjected to immunoblotting as in c. e HepG2 cells were treated with IL-10 or together with HBsAg as indicated and analyzed as in c. All of the data are from three pooled independent experiments and are shown as the mean ± s.d. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. f HepG2 cells were transfected with pHBV1.3 plasmids and were treated with HBsAg or HBsAg antibody; 48 h later, HBV DNA or HBeAg in the supernatant was analyzed by Q-PCR or ELISA. All of the data are from three pooled independent experiments and are shown as the mean ± s.d. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ^#p > 0.05. g Model depicting the cross talk between type-III interferon and HBV through CBFβ