title: The immunoreactivity profile of different HCV genotypes on immunoblot assay and its implications in the development of diagnostic assays.
abstract: The immunoreactivity profiles of plasma samples obtained from patients infected with different hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes were studied using immunoblot assay containing multiple HCV antigens. The immunoblot assay was found to be positive in 81.5% of 195 blood donors who had anti-HCV antibodies as detected by second generation enzyme immunoassays. The samples reacted preferentially with the viral core, NS3-1 and NS5 antigens, and these reactivities were not influenced by HCV genotype. However, the reactivities with NS3-2 and NS4 antigens varied depending on HCV genotypes. The samples from patients infected with HCV genotype 1 reacted well with NS3-2 and NS4 antigens whereas those with other genotypes did not. In addition, samples with the unclassified HCV genotype reacted poorly with all antigens, except NS3-1. This study demonstrates the importance of the core, NS3-1 and NS5 antigens in the detection of antibodies against HCV, especially in areas where more than one genotypes of HCV are present. It also demonstrates that there is a need for further improvement of the currently used assays as new HCV genotypes are recently discovered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanistanon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neelamek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dharakul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Songsivilai
mesh_terms: D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins