Evidence of subtype-specific antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the NS5 region of hepatitis C virus in the circulation of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
The antigenicity of the NS5 region of type 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated by epitope mapping of the region spanning amino acids 2530 to 2723 of the HCV polyprotein. Six antigenic regions were recognized by anti-HCV positive sera from individuals with chronic hepatitis C in a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with synthetic oligopeptides. Five of these regions demonstrated intra-type 1 sequence variations defining subtype 1a and 1b HCV sequences. The region between amino acids 2623 and 2634 allowed testing of subtype-specific anti-NS5 antibodies; serological reactivity to subtypes 1a and 1b was observed in 27 and 61%, respectively, of 150 cases with chronic hepatitis C. Simultaneous reactivity to subtypes 1a and 1b was found in 23% of the patients. Detection of subtype-specific anti-NS5 antibody correlated in more than 80% of the cases with the HCV genotype (subtypes 1a and 1b) analyzed by PCR amplification of the NS5 sequence. These data provide evidence of the existence of a subtype-specific anti-NS5 response in the circulation of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Quiroga
J A
JA
Hepatology Unit, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Martin
J
J
Pernas
M
M
Pardo
M
M
Herrero
M
M
Castillo
I
I
Bartolome
J
J
Carreño
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001483:Base Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping
D000939:Epitopes; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens