title: Detection of antibodies against pre-S1 proteins in sera of patients with hepatitis B virus infection by ELISA using a pre-S fusion protein expressed in E. coli.
abstract: To evaluate the importance of antibodies directed against pre-S1 proteins (anti-pre-S1) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human sera, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for their detection in human sera was established, using a bacterially synthesized pre-S1 fusion protein. Using this ELISA, it was found that anti-pre-S1 was present in sera from 10 of 11 patients with acute HBV infection who recovered completely, but only present in 1 of 8 patients where the infection was prolonged. In chronic HBV carriers anti-pre-S1 was present in only 3 out of 8 patients and titers were low. In addition, in 5 out of 17 individuals who had recovered from previous HBV infection, anti-pre-S1 was also detected. Individuals immunized with recombinant HBsAg-vaccine and healthy controls were all negative for anti-pre-S1. It is suggested that presence of anti-pre-S1 in sera of patients with acute HBV infection correlates with rapid recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Fed. Rep. of Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Theilmann
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Galle
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gmelin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kommerell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pfaff
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen