Immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HBx-antigen of hepatitis B virus.
The hepatitis B virus genome encodes a transcriptional transactivator protein designated HBxAg. We have investigated whether this antigen is a target structure for human T-lymphocytes. Using recombinant HBxAg protein, we found HBxAg-specific stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 6) and chronic hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 17) but not in healthy individuals. With HBxAg-specific synthetic polypeptides, several T-cell epitopes were identified. Most were located in the carboxyterminal half of the HBxAg protein. Five T-cell clones specific for a T-cell epitope located at the carboxyterminal region of HBxAg were established and found to belong to the CD2/CD4-positive, CD8-negative subtype. These data establish for the first time HBxAg as an antigen in the cellular immune response.
Jung
M C
MC
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, Germany.
Stemler
M
M
Weimer
T
T
Spengler
U
U
Döhrmann
J
J
Hoffmann
R
R
Eichenlaub
D
D
Eisenburg
J
J
Paumgartner
G
G
Riethmüller
G
G
D000208:Acute Disease; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002999:Clone Cells; D000939:Epitopes; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D000939:Epitopes; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein