title: Identification of four epitopes in hepatitis C virus core protein.
abstract: We identified four epitopes in hepatitis C virus core protein by using the algorithm of Jameson and Wolf. G15V (amino acids [aa] 31 to 45) appears to be the immunodominant epitope, since it was able to detect antibodies to the core protein in all 40 patients and in 44 of 45 recombinant immunoblot assay-confirmed positive blood donors. This epitope is associated with a low frequency of false-positive results, as found with 522 negative blood donors. A strong reactivity was also observed with the Q15V epitope (aa 7 to 21), although this was associated with low specificity. Occasional reactivity to the R15P (aa 49 to 63) and P15R (aa 99 to 113) epitopes was observed. Q15V and G15V detected antibodies to core protein earlier than the other two epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mascolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaninetti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colzani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pregliasco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbone
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gasparini
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D010455:Peptides; D014758:Viral Core Proteins