title: Comparison between polyclonal and first and second generation monoclonal radioimmunoassays in the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Serum from 221 black patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was tested for HBsAg using a polyclonal radioimmunoassay, and first and second generation monoclonal radioimmunoassays designated M1-RIA and M2-RIA. These monoclonal radioimmunoassays have a lower limit of detection of about 55 and 15 pg of HBsAg-associated epitopes per ml of serum. Correlations were made with other hepatitis B virus serologic markers such as anti-HBc and anti-HBs, using polyclonal radioimmunoassays. We found 47.5% (105/221) of the patients were HBsAg positive by conventional polyclonal radioimmunoassay; all of these patients were also reactive by monoclonal radioimmunoassay. Of the 116 polyclonal radioimmunoassay-negative patients, 4 (3.4%) were reactive by M1-RIA. These four patients were all positive for anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs antibodies. There were 106 of 112 patients negative for HBsAg by polyclonal radioimmunoassay and M1-RIA available for testing by the M2-RIA; 11 (10.4%) were found to be positive only by this test. Thus, with the use of M1- and M2-RIAs, the number of hepatocellular carcinoma patients negative for HBsAg by polyclonal radioimmunoassay was reduced by 14% in this population. More importantly, of the 11 M2-RIA-positive patients, six demonstrated anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs antibodies whereas the remaining five had no serologic evidence of recent or past hepatitis B virus exposure. Finally, of the 21 patients in this series with no markers of hepatitis B virus infection using polyclonal radioimmunoassay and M1-RIA, five (24%) were reactive for HBsAg-associated epitopes by M2-RIA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000382:microbiology*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens