title: Interferon (IFN)-alpha 2 genotype analysis of Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients undergoing recombinant IFN-alpha 2a therapy.
abstract: Sixteen Chinese chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients were treated with recombinant interferon-alpha 2a (rIFN-alpha 2a). Of these, 8 made a response to IFN, with titers of neutralizing antibody of 141-4525 as determined by an antiviral neutralization bioassay. To determine whether the immunogenicity of the IFN was directly linked to the patients' genotype, their genomic DNA was analyzed for the presence of the human IFN-alpha 2a gene. None of the patients possessed the gene for IFN-alpha 2a, but only 50% developed neutralizing antibodies. The hypothesis, therefore, of a direct link between antibody formation and genotype cannot be sustained. Alternative explanations of the immunogenicity of IFN-alpha 2a must be sought.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Wellcome Foundation, Beckenham, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gewert
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Salom
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thursz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D017931:DNA Primers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004247:DNA