title: Monoclonal antibodies to hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) derived from hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg): their use in characterization and detection of HBeAg.
abstract: A panel of mouse hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibody to serum hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) was produced from mice immunized with denatured hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg). This panel could be divided broadly into two groups. Within each group, the monoclonal antibodies recognized a single antigenic site, designated either e-alpha or e-beta, and generally exhibited a high degree of cross-inhibition. In contrast, between the two groups of antibodies there was little or no cross-inhibition. The antigens of serum HBeAg and denatured HBcAg appeared to be very similar. Both behaved as molecules carrying only a single e-alpha or e-beta site, in spite of native serum HBeAg having an apparent molecular weight of 300 000. It is inferred that e-alpha and e-beta sites may be involved in the polymerization of HBeAg into HBcAg and that during this process mutual masking of antigenic sites may occur.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000939:Epitopes; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens