Detection of the putative E2 protein of hepatitis C virus in human liver.
The question was asked whether a predicted envelope protein, considered to be processed from the polyprotein precursor encoded by the putative E2/NS1 region of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome, may be observed in HCV-infected humans. Two polyclonal antibodies against recombinant E2/NS1 proteins were prepared and their reactivity tested against liver extracts from HCV-infected patients by immunoblotting analysis. A band corresponding to a size of 44 kDa was detected in liver extracts from patients who were positive for the HCV-specific antibody anti-C100-3 but not in liver extracts from patients who did not have anti-C100-3 antibody. Additionally, no band was detected using preimmune sera or antisera which had been preabsorbed with recombinant E2/NS1 proteins. Deglycosylation studies demonstrated that the 44 kDa protein was a glycosylated form of a 38 kDa protein which corresponds to the predicted molecular weight of the putative E2/NS1 protein. These results suggest that the 44 kDa protein is a product of the E2/NS1 region. Frequent observation of the 44 kDa band in cases of chronic active hepatitis C suggests a correlation between the expression of this protein and the progression of hepatitis.
Nakamoto
Y
Y
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan.
Kaneko
S
S
Honda
M
M
Unoura
M
M
Cheong
J
J
Harada
A
A
Matsushima
K
K
Kobayashi
K
K
Murakami
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000737:chemistry*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins