Changes of pre-S1 and pre-S2 antigens in sera of patients with hepatitis B virus infection.
Polypeptides encoded by the pre-S1 and pre-S2 genes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) (pre-S1 antigen and pre-S2 antigen) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 137 serum samples of patients with HBV infection. The HBV-DNA level closely correlated with the titer of pre-S antigens. However, HBV-DNA levels more closely correlated with the titer of the pre-S1 antigen [HBV-asymptomatic carrier (ASC): n = 40, r = 0.800, P less than 0.01; chronic hepatitis B (CH): n = 60, r = 0.730, P less than 0.01] than with the titer of the pre-S2 antigen [ASC: r = 0.675, P less than 0.01; CH: r = 0.575, P less than 0.01]. Thirty patients with CH, in whom hepatitis e antigen (HBeAg) was cleared after acute exacerbation (AE) [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level greater than 200 IU/L] and the ALT level normalized, were followed for 12 months and classified into two groups: Group 1, those in whom HBeAg reappeared with an elevated ALT level within 12 months, and Group 2, those in whom HBeAg was persistently cleared from the serum and a normal ALT level continued. Of the 30 patients, 24 (80%) were classified into Group 1 and 6 (20%) were classified into Group 2. Changes in serum levels of HBV markers a month before and after AE were observed. The HBV-DNA level and DNA-P activity became negative after AE in both groups. The titer of pre-S1 antigen also decreased after AE, and no significant differences were observed between Group 1 and Group 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Iwasaki
Y
Y
First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Matsuura
K
K
Tsuji
T
T
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D017457:Receptors, Albumin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; D017457:Receptors, Albumin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen