Cross-reactivity of hypervariable region 1 chimera of hepatitis C virus.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the amino acid sequences of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of HCV isolates in China and to construct a combinatorial chimeric HVR1 protein having a very broad high cross-reactivity.


METHODS
All of the published HVR1 sequences from China were collected and processed with a computer program. Several representative HVR1's sequences were formulated based on a consensus profile and homology within certain subdivision. A few reported HVR1 mimotope sequences were also included for a broader representation. All of them were cloned and expressed in E.coli. The cross-reactivity of the purified recombinant HVR1 antigens was tested by ELISA with a panel of sera from HCV infected patients in China. Some of them were further ligated together to form a combinatorial HVR1 chimera.


RESULTS
Altogether 12 HVR1(s) were selected and expressed in E.coli and purified to homogeneity. All of these purified antigens showed some cross-reactivity with sera in a 27 HCV positive panel. Recombinant HVR1s of No. 1, 2, 4, and 8# showing broad cross-reactivities and complementarity with each other, were selected for the ligation elements. The chimera containing these 4 HVR1s was highly expressed in E.coli. The purified chimeric antigen could react not only with all the HCV antibody positive sera in the panel but also with 90/91 sera of HCV -infected patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The chimeric antigen was shown to have a broad cross-reactivity. It may be helpful for solving the problem caused by high variability of HCV, and in the efforts for a novel vaccine against the virus.
Xiu
Bing-Shui
BS
Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, P.R.China.
Ling
Shi-Gan
SG
Song
Xiao-Guo
XG
Zhang
He-Qiu
HQ
Chen
Kun
K
Zhu
Cui-Xia
CX
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
C400562:HVR1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins