title: A single amino acid change in the hypervariable region 1 of hepatitis C virus genotype 4a aids humoral immune escape.
abstract: Longitudinal analysis of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has shown that the virus has several adaptive strategies that maintain persistence and infectivity over time. We examined four serum samples from the same chronically infected HCV genotype 4a patient for the presence of IgG antibody-associated virus. RNA was isolated from antibody-associated and antibody-free virions. Subsequent to sequence analysis, 27 aa hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) peptides were used to test the humoral immune escape. We demonstrated that differential peptide binding of Fab was associated with a single amino acid change. We provide direct evidence of natural humoral immune escape by HCV within HVR1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinical Sciences Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amruta S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinical Sciences Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Brendan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Orla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Crosbie
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kenny-Walsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinical Sciences Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Liam J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fanning
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C400562:HVR1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins