Recombinant anti-HBsAg Fab blocks hepatitis B virus infection after orthotopic liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) after orthotopic liver transplantation is very common in the absence of adequate prophylaxis and is often associated with poor prognosis because of the development of cirrhosis, fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis, or fulminant hepatitis. Therefore it is important to study the prevention of HBV reinfection after liver transplantation.


METHODS
Recombinant Fab (rFab) was constructed to evaluate gene therapy for post-transplantation HBV reinfection. Hepatocytes were divided into three groups: HBV-infection, rFab-blocked HBV-infection, and control. The inhibition of HBsAg adsorption test, the micro-cytotoxicity assay, and the blockade test of HBV infection were carried out. The HBsAg adsorption rate, the hepatocyte death rate and the HBV infection rate were statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
The HBsAg adsorption rate blocked by rFab in the HBsAg adsorption test was 0.3%. The hepatocyte death rate was 98.8% induced by rFab in the micro-cytotoxicity assay, 1.3% in the rFab-blocked HBV-infected group and 77% in the HBV-infected group in the blockade test of HBV.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that rFab effectively blocked HBV infection in human hepatocytes. This provides an attractive alternative for hepatitis B prophylaxis.
Pan
Tao
T
Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation (Ministry of Education/Ministry of Public Health), Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Tang
Li
L
Yuan
Jin
J
Gong
Nian-Qiao
NQ
Wang
Da-Wei
DW
Chen
Dun-Xiu
DX
Guo
Hui
H
Chen
Zhi-Shui
ZS
D000327:Adsorption; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins