Solid-phase radioimmunoassay for hepatitis be antigen (HBeAg)

Summary A solid-phase radioimmunoassay was developed for the detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe in sera or serum fractions. HBe/sAg positive sera, partially purified HBeAg, partially purified HBsAg, and HBe/sAg negative sera were polymerized in polyacrylamide and compared for their ability to bind¹²⁵I-IgG (anti-HBe). Only gels containing HBeAg reacted specifically with the iodinated antibody. The specificity of the binding was confirmed by blocking and inhibition tests using anti-HBe, HBeAg, HBsAg, and negative control sera. The radioimmunoassay allows the specific and quantitative detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe even in the presence of detergents and high salt concentrations.

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Abbreviations HBsAg hepatitis B surface antigen - HBeAg hepatitis Be antigen - HBe/sAg hepatitis Be antigen and surface antigen - anti-HBe antibody to hepatitis Be antigen     

抗骨肉瘤药物纳米载体的研究进展

骨肉痛是最常见的恶性骨肿瘤,病死率较高。而生物医用纳米材料是纳米材料和生物材料交叉的一个全新领域,在生物医学上有着十分诱人的、广泛的应用前景。本文对纳米无机生物材料、纳米高分子生物材料、纳米复合生物材料作为抗骨肉瘤药物载体的研究进展作了较全面的综述。     

Differential diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis using rapid, fully automated immunoassays

We report the development of three rapid, fully automated immunoassays allowing the differential diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis. These assays detect HBsAg, IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc) and IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus (IgM anti-HAV) using the IMx instrument system. All IMx assays were run in less than 45 minutes and all steps were fully automated including specimen dilution steps. Specimens from blood donors, diagnostic and hospital patients, and individuals with a variety of infectious and immune diseases were tested for IgM anti-HAV (n = 1473) or for IgM anti-HBc (n = 1606) or for HBsAg (n = 9700) by the IMx and commercially available EIA and RIA. Each IMx assay showed 99.8% agreement with current EIA. Reproducibility in all hepatitis IMx assays was significantly better than that observed with manual or semiautomated assays; within-run and between-run % CV ranged from 2.2 to 4.8 and 3.5 to 10.3 respectively. In 29 acute hepatitis B patients studied, HBsAg and IgM anti-HBc were detected in the first available patient bleed collected from 0 to 4 week from the onset of symptoms. IgM anti-HBc persisted at reactive levels in the IMx assay for 1 to 24 weeks (mean 12.1 +/- 5.3 weeks) after the patient presented with symptoms. In individuals exposed to hepatitis A, IgM anti-HAV was detectable by IMx by 40 days post exposure (average 33.5 days) and IgM had declined to unreactive levels in IMx for all patients by from 3 to 6 months post exposure. These data demonstrate the use of these rapid IMx assays for differentiation of acute hepatitis A and B.     

Prevalence of HBsAg carriers in native and immigrant pregnant female populations in Israel and passive/active vaccination against HBV of newborns at risk.

Israel has no official prevention policy at present against perinatal and horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in newborns and children at risk. The present study was designed to assess the prevalence of HBV carrier state in a population of 11,123 pregnant women at term. Among this population (mean age 29.7 +/- 5.9), 98 women (0.88%) were found to be asymptomatic HBsAg+ carriers, and 97% of these carriers were anti-HBe+. Evidence for HBV replication, as determined by serum HBV-DNA, was established in 6.6% of the HBsAg+/anti-HBe+ population. The HBsAg carrier rate was strongly influenced by religion, continent, and country of birth of the carrier mothers. The highest relative carrier rate was found among women of Moslem origin (4.3%), as compared to Jewish women (0.67%). Most carrier women were born in Israel (56.1%) to mothers who had emigrated from regions with intermediate or high endemicity of HBV, such as North Africa or the Middle East. In these groups, the HBsAg carrier rate ranged between 1.2 and 3.0%. Ninety-three percent of newborns receiving passive/active vaccination against HBV developed protective levels of anti-HBs. Finally, evidence for horizontal transmission of HBV was found in 19.3% of 83 non-vaccinated children in families of HBsAg carriers. The present study therefore establishes HBsAg prevalence rates in specific risk groups of women at term and confirms the need for an official policy on immunization against HBV in Israel. Since over 50% of women at term belong to the defined risk groups, universal active vaccination of the entire newborn population each year is suggested as the most rational and needed policy in Israel.     

Hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of healthy black African adults positive for hepatitis B surface antibody alone: possible association with recombination between genotypes A and D

In some patients with chronic liver disease induced by hepatitis B virus, viral DNA is known to persist in low concentration in serum after seroconversion to hepatitis B surface antibody-positivity. This phenomenon has, however, not been documented in asymptomatic black African carriers of hepatitis B virus. Using nested amplification by the polymerase chain reaction, we detected low concentrations of hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum of 6 of 23 (26%) healthy black African adults with normal liver function and with hepatitis B virus surface antibody as the only serological marker of the virus. This finding offers one explanation for the earlier observation of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatocellular carcinomas in black Africans whose serum was positive for surface antibody alone. A number of genetic changes were found in the six isolates that might be responsible for evasion of the immune response and persistence of the virus. Isolated mutations were detected in the "a" determinant of the surface gene and in the encapsidation signal. In all five isolates sequenced in the core promoter, mutations were present in the upstream regulatory region. Recombination between genotypes A and D was present in three of the isolates, including both of those in which the entire genome was sequenced. This change in genotype also overlapped the amino end of the polymerase domain and may result in sufficiently low levels of replication to allow viral persistence. Topoisomerase 1 specific trinucleotides were concentrated in the vicinity of the recombination breakpoints.     

Favorable efficacy of long-term lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B: an 8-year follow-up study

The long-term efficacy of lamivudine therapy in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still not clear. In this study, 20 non-cirrhotic Japanese patients infected with HBV received lamivudine therapy for more than 1 year and were followed for a median period of 8.5 years (range, 6.7-8.7 years). The rates of HBe antigen (HbeAg) negative, HBV-DNA undetectable, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normal level at the start of lamivudine were 55%, 25%, and 20% and 85%, 80%, and were 80%, respectively, at the last visit, including patients who received additional treatment. The values at the last visit tended to and were significantly higher than those at the start. The values improved at the last visit regardless of the emergence of YMDD motif mutant and continuation of lamivudine. YMDD mutant and biochemical relapse with mutant virus (breakthrough hepatitis) appeared in 65% and 45% during follow-up, respectively, but severe breakthrough hepatitis occurred in only 5%. Furthermore, 80% of patients who received additional treatment for breakthrough hepatitis, regardless of continuation of lamivudine, were ALT normal level at the last visit, in contrast to 25% untreated. HBsAg clearance occurred in two patients of the discontinuous lamivudine group with non-vertical transmission, who were relatively young. One was infected with HBV genotype C with breakthrough hepatitis and the other had no YMDD mutant and was infected with genotype D, a rare type in Japan. None developed cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during follow-up. Our results suggest that long-term lamivudine therapy improves long-term prognosis, especially when additional treatment for breakthrough hepatitis is used.     

Mutations that change the immunological subtype of hepatitis B virus surface antigen and distinguish between antigenic and immunogenic determination

The molecular basis of the d or y immunological subtype of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) has been investigated by mutation of specific amino acid residues. When combined with substitution of serine 113 by threonine, replacement of arginine 122 by lysine or of tyrosine 134 by phenylalanine, or both of these changes, altered the antigenic subtype of HBsAg from y+d- to y+d+. These same mutations had a more dramatic effect on the subtype of antibodies induced by the antigens, a combination of all three mutations completely changing the subtype from y to d. Our study thus identifies residues in HBsAg that not only affect the subtype but discriminate between changes in antigenic and immunogenic behaviour. It also shows how the y and d subtypes may be manifest by the same molecule.     

C3d-P28增强乙型肝炎病毒特异性基因免疫效果的研究

目的　观察补体C3d P2 8对基因免疫的调节作用及其不同拷贝数对调节作用的影响 ,为增强基因免疫效果寻求新方法。方法　PCR法获得补体C3d P2 8编码基因并以头尾串连方式将1～ 4拷贝C3d P2 8编码基因克隆至pVAON33,构建pVAON33 P2 8.[1～ 4 ]重组质粒 ,然后将HBV preS2 S编码基因分别插入pVAON33和pVAON33 P2 8.[1～ 4 ]质粒获得pVAON33 S2 S和pVAON33 S2 S P2 8.[1～ 4 ]重组质粒。肌肉注射各重组质粒DNA(每只 10 0 μg 10 0 μl)初次免疫小鼠 ,并以pVAON33为对照 ;12周后皮下注射HBsAg蛋白加强免疫各组小鼠 ,ELISA法检测免疫小鼠血清特异性抗 HBs IgG。结果　pVAON33 S2 S重组质粒免疫小鼠可诱导产生特异性抗 HBs IgG ,含不同拷贝C3d P2 8编码基因的重组质粒可诱导更高的特异性抗体 ,其中pVAON33 S2 S P2 8.4重组质粒诱导的抗体水平最高 (P <0 .0 1)。蛋白加强免疫后 ,含C3d P2 8编码基因重组质粒免疫组抗 HBs IgG迅速上升 ,并明显高于pVAON33 S2 S重组质粒免疫组 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,pVAON33 S2 S P2 8.4重组质粒诱导的抗体仍维持最高水平。结论　不同拷贝的C3d P2 8能不同程度地增强HBV preS2 S基因免疫诱导的特异性体液免疫及其蛋白加强后的回忆反应 ,其中 4拷贝C3d P2 8的增强作用较为显著。     

Active and inactive renin after exercise

Summary The effects of graded exercise on plasma concentrations of active and inactive renin were studied in seven healthy men. Exercise was performed on a cycle ergometer at four different exercise intensities (corresponding to 30%, 50%, 80% and 87% of ) for 10 min each. Concentrations of active renin and total renin after activation by trypsin were measured by direct immunoradiometric assay. Non-trypsin-activated renin concentration (inactive) was obtained by subtraction. Active renin concentrations at 30%, 50%, 80% and 87% of were 1.2, 1.9, 3.1 and 4.6 times higher than the control concentration, respectively. Similar increases in plasma renin concentration, determined by conventional enzymatic assay, were observed at every stage. In contrast, changes in inactive renin concentration were not significant at any stage. Significant increases in noradrenaline concentration were found at every exercise stage, but adrenaline, aldosterone and lactate concentrations were significantly elevated only after exercise at 50%, 80% and 87% of . The similarity between the changes in concentration of active renin and noradrenaline would suggest that sympathetic nerve activity may have been responsible either for the release of active renin or for the conversion of inactive renin to its active form in the kidney.     

不同类型的HBsAg真核表达质粒在EBV永生化B淋巴母细胞中的表达

目的 探讨3种不同类型的HBsAg真核表达质粒在EBV永生化B淋巴母细胞中的表达。方法 用3种不同类型的质粒载体分别构建乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg)真核表达质粒（pCI-S,pMEP4-S,pLXSN-S)；然后用阳离子脂质体介导的转染法分别转染正常人EBV永生化的B淋巴母细胞，经G418或HygromycinB筛选出抗性细胞克隆，用RT-PCR检测抗性细胞总RNA中目的基因在转录水平的表达；用ELISA检测抗性细胞培养上清和细胞裂解液中HB-sAg的含量。结果 3种不同类型HBsAg重组表达质粒转染的EBV永生化B淋巴母细胞，在转录水平上，可检出HB-sAgmRNA的表达；在蛋白水平上，细胞增养上清和细胞裂解液均可检出HBsAg；而以EB病毒表达质粒pMEP4-S表达最高，真核表达质粒pCI-S和逆转录病毒表达质粒pLXSN-S表达HBsAg的量无明显差异。结论 3种不同类型的HBsAg真核表达质粒均可在EBV永生化B淋巴母细胞中稳定表达，EB病毒表达质粒pMEP4-S表达的HBsAg明显高于真核表达质粒pCI-S和逆转录病毒表达质粒pLXSN-S。