Characteristics of woodchuck hepatitis X-antigen in the livers and sera from infected animals.
This study tests the hypothesis that woodchuck hepatitis virus encoded X-antigen expression correlates with viral replication, with hepatitis, or with both. Paired liver and serum samples from each of 55 infected woodchucks were used. Seven of 8 carriers with high levels of viral DNA in serum also had X-antigen in serum. In contrast, the frequency of X-antigen in serum was low among infected woodchucks that did not have viral surface antigen in the serum. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between X-antigen in serum and markers of viral replication. Woodchuck hepatitis X-antigen (WHxAg) expression in liver but not serum of carriers closely correlated with the presence of hepatitis. The finding of X-antigen in the liver of infected animals with hepatitis that cleared the virus surface antigen from serum also suggests that X-antigen is associated with ongoing hepatitis. Hence, the persistence of WHxAg in serum may signal continuing viral replication and, in liver, may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic infection.
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.
M A
MA
Feitelson
L
L
Lega
L X
LX
Duan
M
M
Clayton
D000818:Animals; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008392:Marmota / Q000276:immunology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein