Radioimmunometric assay for hepatitis B surface antigen on the surface of infected cells.
It has been difficult to differentiate hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) on the cell surface from intracellular or intramembranous HBsAg that is not exposed to the host immune response. We describe here a radioimmunometric assay for HBsAg on the cell surface using HBsAg producing hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and fibroblasts transfected with cloned hepatitis B virus DNA as models. The assay is sensitive, specific, simple and takes approximately 1 1/2 h. The procedure may be modified to compare quantitatively cell surface with intracellular HBsAg and to demonstrate other cell associated hepatitis B virus antigens such as HBcAg and HBeAg.
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D014162:Transfection
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens