title: Significance of the anti-E2 response in self-limited and chronic hepatitis C virus infections in chimpanzees and in humans.
abstract: To determine whether there was a correlation between the kinetics or frequency of antibody to mammalian-derived hepatitis C virus (HCV) second envelope protein (E2) and development of chronicity or self-limitation of HCV infections, serial sera were examined for anti-E2, anti-HCV with confirmation with Matrix 2.0 (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL), and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from 6 cases of self-limited infection and 6 cases of chronic infection in chimpanzees, and from 5 cases of self-limited infection and 3 cases of chronic infection in patients. Anti-E2 developed earlier, more frequently, and to higher titer in chimpanzees and patients who were developing chronic infection than in those with self-limited infections. Thus anti-E2 is unlikely to play a role in self-limitation of the infection. However, long-term persistence of anti-E2 correlates with chronic infection. There was little or no correlation between the timing of development of anti-E2 and anti-HCV.
authors.affiliation: New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. aprince@NYBC.org
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brotman
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Scheffel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C091015:glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus