[Changes in the gene expression of the hepatitis B virus in PLC-PRF-5 cells of human hepatocarcinoma during their acquisition of drug resistance]

Abstract

Mutant clones of hepatocarcinoma cell line PLC-PRF-5 containing integrated hepatitis B virus genome were derived by multistep selection for resistance to some toxic agents. These clones were found to display various stages of cell differentiation according to growth rate, ability to synthesize alpha-fetoprotein, to grow in semisolid medium and to cloning in agar. In the majority of the clones with higher stages of differentiation the expression of HBsAg gene was demonstrated to be increased as compared to the original line, and in some of these clones the expression of silent HBcAg was activated.