Changes in antibodies to specific hepatitis C virus antigens with interferon-alpha therapy: analysis by recombinant immunoblot assay.
Antibodies to hepatitis C virus NS3 (C33C), NS4 (5-1-1 and C100-3), and core (C22-3) proteins were tested for by a second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay of serum samples from 42 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with interferon-alpha. Antibodies to 5-1-1 and C100-3 were found in 83% (35/42) before therapy, and those to C22-3 and C33C in all patients. At 6 months after therapy withdrawal in patients with sustained virus clearance, only antibodies to 5-1-1 and C100-3 showed significant decreases (p < 0.05) (5/5 and 7/7, respectively). Antibodies to C22-3 and C33C decreased less frequently in only 11% (1/9) (p < 0.01) and 44% (4/9) (p < 0.05), respectively. Thus, antibodies to 5-1-1 and C100-3 are prone to decrease following a decline in viremia. The antibody to the C22-3 (core) protein was least likely to decrease and may serve as a reliable marker of exposure to the virus.
Yuki
N
N
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Hayashi
N
N
Hagiwara
H
H
Takehara
T
T
Katayama
K
K
Kasahara
A
A
Fusamoto
H
H
Kamada
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C499352:core protein p22, Hepatitis C virus; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus