title: A new pre-S containing recombinant hepatitis B vaccine and its effect on non-responders: a preliminary observation.
abstract: Nine healthy subjects who had no detectable antibody response when initially vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine (plasma derived and/or yeast derived) were revaccinated with three 20 micrograms doses of a new recombinant hepatitis B (HB) vaccine (SCI-B-VAC) derived from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and consisting of both the major S protein and the minor pre-S (S1 and S2) proteins of the viral coat. Seroconversion was successful in 78% of these non-responders after the second dose and just before the third vaccination. The geometric mean titres of the antiHBs were 587 iu/l one month after the course of vaccination. This study, though preliminary, indicated that pre-S containing CHO vaccine is effective in inducing antibody response in S-vaccine non-responders and also suggested that the added pre-S region in HBV vaccine helps antiHBs production. Frequency of HLA B46 and B15 were higher in non-responders compared to normal subjects (P = 0.04) supporting the possibility that genetic factors may modulate the immune response to HB vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines