The research of in vivo transfection of cloned duck hepatitis B virus DNA dimer
Abstract: In vivo transfection with a plasmid-linked tandem DHBV DNA dimer on 2-day old DHBV-free Furong ducklings was carried out. Most of the animals (86%) developed transient viremia. Serum DHBs/pre S Ag and DHBV DNA appeared on 9th day, reached to its peak on12th~14th day and disappeared on 28th after transfection. Whereas, there were a few ducks whose viremia persisted for more than 50 days. DHBV DNA replicative intermediates were alsofound in the liver tissue of transfected ducks. DHBV intact viral panicals were detected in viremic sera under electronic microscope. Intraperitoneal injection of the transfected ducks' viremic sera into 1-day old DHBV-free ducklings resulted in productive DHBV infection on 60% animals,demonstrating the production of biologically active virus after in via transfection. The establishmant of this method is valuable for the research of DHBV variant and the relation between DHBVgene structure and its function.