Fig. 1

rt269L-infected cells showed improved mitochondrial maintenance with a high rate of functional mitochondria and biogenesis. A, B Confocal microscopy images showing HepG2 cells transfected with mock, rt269L, or rt269I HBV followed by JC-1 staining and TMRM staining indicating mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) and ΔΨm. Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Scale bar, 50 µm. C Evaluation of mitochondrial function by flow cytometry. Error shows the means ± stand error of the means (SEMs) *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. D High magnification of mitochondria in rt269L- and rt269I-infected HepG2-NTCP-C4 cells (scale bars, 5 or 1 µm). E Mitochondrial ATP generation in HepG2 cells transfected with mock, rt269L, or rt269I vector, or in liver tissues of mice hydrodynamically injected with mock, rt269L, or rt269I vector. F Mitochondrial cristae morphology and density in liver tissues of mice hydrodynamically injected with mock, rt269L, or rt269I HBV, assayed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Scale bar, 2 µm. The results were evaluated for statistical significance by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. Differences were considered significant when *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001