Duality of hepatitis B e antigen in serum of persons infected with hepatitis B virus: evidence for the nonidentity of e antigen with immunoglobulins.
Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is detected in the serum of some persons infected with hepatitis B virus. Owing to a close correlation of HBeAg and hepatitis B virus in the serum, it has been used as a practical indicator of infectivity. Two entities of HBeAg activity physicochemically different from each other were demonstrated in the serum of persons infected with hepatitis B virus. One was associated with a molecule that precipitated in 1.33 M ammonium sulfate solution, was larger than IgG, and had an electrophoretic mobility in the beta- to gamma-globulin regions and an isoelectric point of approximately pH 5.7. In contrast, the other HBeAg activity was associated with a molecule that was soluble in 1.33 M ammonium sulfate solution, was smaller than IgG, and had an electrophoretic mobility in the alpha-globulin region and an isoelectric point at pH 4.8. In spite of their marked physicochemical differences, a line of antigenic identity was clearly observed for them when they were tested against antibody to HBeAg by a them when they were tested against antibody to HBeAg by a double immunodiffusion method. The HBeAg activity associated with the large molecule was completely removed by an affinity column of anti-IgG, whereas the activity of the small molecule was not. These results indicate that, in the serum, HBeAg exists as a molecule smaller than IgG and also in association with IgG.
D004589:Electrophoresis, Disc; D005590:Fractional Precipitation; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008970:Molecular Weight
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins
Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris). 1960 Jul;99:13-27
13828667
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1964 Dec 28;121:404-27
14240539
Lancet. 1971 Dec 4;2(7736):1225-7
4143591
N Engl J Med. 1978 Feb 23;298(8):439-41
622119
Am J Epidemiol. 1977 Feb;105(2):94-8
835566
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Apr;74(4):1702-6
266209
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 May;74(5):2149-51
266736
J Immunol. 1977 Nov;119(5):1556-9
915268
Infect Immun. 1976 Sep;14(3):631-5
965088
N Engl J Med. 1976 Oct 21;295(17):909-13
967200
Lancet. 1973 Oct 20;2(7834):869-73
4126916
J Immunol. 1972 Nov;109(5):1017-21
4116763
Lancet. 1970 Apr 4;1(7649):695-8
4190997
J Infect Dis. 1976 Mar;133(3):339-42
56411
Clin Exp Immunol. 1975 May;20(2):209-16
55324
J Immunol. 1976 Jul;117(1):102-5
819577
J Infect Dis. 1976 Jul;134(1):85-9
939924
N Engl J Med. 1976 Apr 1;294(14):746-9
943694
Nature. 1967 Sep 30;215(5109):1491-2
6059570