Regulation of the immune response to hepatitis B virus and human serum albumin. I. Hepatitis B surface antigen-induced secretion of antibodies with specificity for human serum albumin in hepatitis B-immune donors in vitro.
The circulatory pool of B cells, from donors immune to hepatitis B (HB) through natural infection, contained sensitized B cells with the capacity to secrete antibodies with specificity for human serum albumin (HSA) when stimulated with purified hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in vitro. The immunoglobulin secretion was dependent upon and regulated by T cells and specifically induced, since it was not obtained in cell cultures from HB-susceptible donors. Culture supernatants with anti-HSA reactivity also contained specific antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs), indicating that the outer coat of HBV normally provokes an immune response to both the viral antigen and a 'self' component. Perturbation in the regulation of the immune response triggered by HSA in association with HBV/HBsAg particles may involve a putative risk for development of chronic HBsAg carriership.
D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012709:Serum Albumin