Although the vast majority of hepatocytes appeared histologically normal during the first 3 months after injection, hepatic necrosis was observed at 6 months in the AAV8-HBV, AAV-scrambler, and AAV-shRNA-TGF-β injected mice, with destruction of hepatic lobular structure and macrovesicular steatosis degeneration. Here, TGFB1 is linked to steatosis.