title: Positive ratio of specific antibodies to F protein in serum samples from chronic HCV-infected patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although some studies have reported a positive ratio of specific antibodies to the alternative reading frame protein in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, our data from meta-analysis provide evidence supporting the presence of circulating anti-F protein antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected studies focused on hepatitis C virus (HCV) and F protein. From an initial identification of 460 articles, we selected 16 studies that were randomized-controlled trials (RCTs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the Mantel-Haenszel test showed that a statistically significant number of studies reported an effective value in chronic HCV-infected individuals (P<0.00001). We concluded that compared with healthy individuals, the positive ratio of F protein detection was higher in chronic HCV-infected individuals; the odds ratio was 63.61 [95% confidence interval (CI)=28.69, 141.06]. The values for chronic HCV-infected individuals were significantly different from those for non-HCV-infected individuals; the odds ratio was 53.43 (95% CI=23.33, 122.35). The positive ratio of the core protein was higher than that of F protein (rate difference=-38%, 95% CI=-42, -35%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that F protein elicits specific antibodies in most chronic HCV-infected individuals. Further, we confirmed the results of previous reports. The relationship between anti-F protein antibody and HCV coinfection still needs to be confirmed with further studies. Considering the high polymorphism rate of HCV, further studies are still needed for the selection of synthetic peptides from F protein that can coat the wells on microplates and serve as a commercial reagent.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Department, Third Central Clinical College, Tianjin Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shuye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C433031:hepatitis C protein F, Hepatitis C virus