title: High detection rate of hepatitis C virus E2 antibody in patients with type C hepatitis.
abstract: Putative hepatitis C virus E2 protein was applied for detection of anti-E2 antibody in patients with type C hepatitis. The Putative E2 sequence was expressed in E. coli and approximately 38 KDa hepatitis C E2 protein fused with 42 KDa maltose binding protein was obtained. The HCV E2 antibody was detected in 2 of 7 acute hepatitis cases, in 8 of 12 chronic persistent hepatitis, in 17 of 25 chronic active hepatitis, and in 2 of 4 cirrhosis. It was not detected in 10 normal subjects. Anti-E2 antibody became undetectable after successful interferon treatment in patients with type C hepatitis. The High detection rate of E2 antibody in chronic hepatitis C and disappearance of the antibody after the interferon treatment indicate that the E2 antibody is related to viral replication and is unlikely to be a neutralizing antibody.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omata
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D014764:Viral Proteins