Preliminary study on the inhibition of HBeAg expression in cells by ribozyme

Objective To study the inhibition of HBeAg expression in cells by twounit ribozyme. Methods Plasmid pBBS212-R2,a eukaryotic expression vector with a twounit ribozyme against hepatitis B virus, was constructed and cotransfected with p1.2 plasmid (carring genome of adrsubtype HBV) in to the HHCC cell (Human Hepatocelluar Carcinoma cell line). Immunoflurescence tests were applied to detecte the cotransfected cells, and data was analysed with confocal microscope quantitively. Results The cotransfected cells expressed HBeAg, while the quantity of fluorecein was reduced significantly in comparison with control cells. Conclusion Ribozyme can inhibit the expression of HBeAg in the cotransfected cells by cleaving the mRNA of HBV.