Detection of hepatitis B virus pre-S1 and pre-S2 determinants in paraffin wax embedded liver tissue: importance of reagents used.

Abstract

The presence of pre-S polypeptides in paraffin wax embedded liver sections from the biopsy specimens of 15 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositive patients (five with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), four with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), four with cirrhosis and two "healthy" HBsAg carriers) was investigated using monoclonal antibodies directed to distinct epitopes on pre-Sl (18/7 and TO 606) and pre-S2 (5535 and Q 19/10). Pre