Monoclonal antibodies with high virus-neutralizing activity against pandemic influenza virus A/llV-Moscow/01/2009 (H1N1)swl

The authors have obtained a panel of 7 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against pandemic influenza virus A/IIV-Moscow/01/2009 (HIN1)swl isolated in Russia. One MAb is directed to a NP protein linear epitope and interacts with all the influenza A viruses under study. Six other MAbs are directed to H1 hemagglutinin conformation-dependent determinants and detect homologous virus in the hemagglutination-inhibition test, enzyme immunoassay, immunofluorescence and virus neutralization tests. MAbs differentiate pandemic influenza viruses A(H1N1)swl from seasonal influenza A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B viruses. The high neutralizing activity of MAbs permits their use to study the fine antigen structure of influenza virus hemagglutinin and to differentiate the A(H1N1) pandemic influenza viruses and offers promise for obtaining humanized antibodies in order to make specific prevention and treatment of influenza.     

Use of PCR for detection of positive (genomic) and negative (replicative) RNA chains of hepatitis C virus in the serum, lymphocytes, and liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C

The presence of viral RNA in liver tissue and peripheral blood serum and lymphocytes of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) was studied by polymerase chain reaction with nested primers on the 5'-untranslated region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome. Positive (genome) RNA was more often detected in the liver (81% cases) than in the peripheral blood serum (55%) or lymphocytes (64%). Active replication of HCV (presence of negative RNA chains) was observed only in the liver (in 37% cases). Correlation between the frequency of HCV RNA detection in the liver, blood cells and sera and parameters of the inflammatory process activity (SGPT level, histologic activity index and sclerosis index) was investigated. No relationship between the studied parameters was revealed. Positive correlation between the presence of HCV genome RNA in lymphocytes and serum was detected. A tendency to a decrease in the incidence of replicative RNA of the virus in liver tissue with increase in the activity of chronic hepatitis C was observed.     

Analysis of hepatitis C virus proteins in hepatic cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C

A correlation between the detection of proteins and an activity of the pathological process was analyzed in a study of the content of the C virus hepatitis (CVH) proteins in hepatic cells of patients with chronic C hepatitis (CCH). The expression of CVH proteins in frozen sections of biopsy samples of 69 CCH patients was evaluated by using the immune-histological method involving original monoclonal antibodies (MCA) to 5 CVH proteins. The results of the detection of proteins in patients were compared with an activity and stage of CCH (by using histological tests and a level of alanine aminotransferase--AAT). A set of the CVH proteins were found in the liver of 74% of patients, i.e. core proteins, NS3, NS4A, NS4B and NS5A--in 28, 43, 43, 55 and 58%, respectively. All studied proteins were detected in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Proteins were found in the liver more often as compared with the detection rate of CVH RNA in the blood serum (61%). This demonstrates a high sensitivity of the discussed test at detecting the CVH infection. The accumulation of the core protein was shown to correlate with the presence of the replicative form of CVH RNA in the liver and with a higher level of AAT. The quantity of NS5 A-expressing cells correlated directly with a CCH stage. The quantity of NSB- and NS3-positive hepatocytes correlated negatively with an activity of the inflammatory-and-necrotic processes in the liver. Hyper-fermentation was found more often among the antigen-positive patients. The CCH histological activity was proven to be reliably higher at a simultaneous detection of CCH proteins in the liver and of CVH RNA--in the serum.