The GOR gene product cannot cross-react with hepatitis C virus in humans.
GOR (GOR47--1) is an epitope thought to be a host-derived antigen cross-reactive with hepatitis C virus (HCV) since it was isolated from a cDNA library of host animals reactive with sera of HCV-positive patients. An enzyme immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using this epitope as antigen is of sufficient sensitivity and specificity for screening patients with HCV. However, the relationship between GOR47--1 epitope and autoimmune phenomena associated with HCV infection or autoimmune hepatitis is controversial. Here we isolated the human GOR gene and found that the GOR47--1 epitope was not translated in humans due to a single base replacement from chimpanzee. Furthermore, we found some patients who had antibodies against another epitope, which is translated (GOR1--125) in humans, although there was no correlation between the existence of anti-GOR47--1 or anti-GOR1--125 Ab and autoimmune phenomena. Serum IgG levels did not influence the titres of these antibodies. Taken together with the results of several other studies, our finding that the GOR47--1 epitope cannot be translated into a protein suggests that there is little relationship between autoimmunity and the GOR gene product in human beings. We also discuss here the possible mechanism of cross-reactivity between HCV and the GOR gene product.
Koike
R
R
First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan. kryu.rheu@tmd.ac.jp
Iizuka
T
T
Watanabe
T
T
Miyasaka
N
N
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D020298:U937 Cells
D000941:Antigens; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C433683:REXO1L1P protein, human