title: Hepatitis C virus nonstructural 3 protein: recombinant NS3 protein of the Thai isolates as an antigen in a diagnostic assay.
abstract: Nonstructural 3 (NS3) protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the antigens commonly used in diagnostic assays for antibody to hepatitis C virus. However, immune response to the NS3 protein from one genotype may not cross-react with that from other genotypes. In the development of an anti-HCV assay, the NS3 genes from genotypes 1 and 3 commonly found in Thailand were amplified and cloned into a bacterial expression system. These recombinant NS3 proteins were immunogenic and reacted with plasma samples of Thai patients infected with various HCV genotypes. Interestingly, the NS3 proteins from the Thai genotypes could react with 3 plasma samples from HCV infected Thai blood donors, which could not bind to the NS3.1 protein in the commercial HCV immunoblot kit using antigen from HCV genotype 1. This finding supports our prior observation that the appropriate HCV antigens used in a diagnostic assay should be derived from the virus genotypes commonly found in that geographical region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
authors.forename: Duangjit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanistanon
authors.forename: Patimaporn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wongprompitak
authors.forename: Tararaj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dharakul
authors.forename: Sirirurg
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Songsivilai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013785:Thailand; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases