title: Pre-S1 proteins in sera of patients positive for HBsAg and antibodies to hepatitis delta virus.
abstract: Infection with the hepatitis Delta virus results in a reduction in hepatitis B virus replication. To study the question as to whether expression of large surface (pre-S1) protein is changed in patients with previous and chronic hepatitis Delta virus infection, sera of 25 HBsAg- and anti-HD-positive patients were analyzed by the Western blot technique using an antibody directed against a pre-S1 fusion protein. Pre-S1 proteins were present only in 3 of the 25 sera. This finding suggests that the expression of pre-S1 proteins and HBsAg is regulated independently, and that pre-S1 proteins are not necessarily required for the envelope of hepatitis Delta virus.
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D017293:Protein S
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; D017293:Protein S; C050930:protein S precursor