The nature of the hepatitis B virus and its mode of replication

Howard, Colin R.

doi:10.1007/bf01951490

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…We were not able to find any material corresponding to the major core-particle polypeptide (17,OOO-20,0OO daltons). Assuming that HBcAg and HBeAg specificities represent the same protein molecule in different conformational states [Neurath and Strick, 1979;Budkowska et al, 1979;Howard, 1981;Ohori et al, 19801, liver HBeAg may represent a dimeric form of the major core polypeptide formed by a noncovalent association and refer to the 35,000-4S,OOO daltons component of core particle (cP-2) [Budkowska et al, 19771. This component may subsequently acquire different physicochemical properties due to self-aggregation or association with liver or serum components.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation and characterization of liver‐derived hepatitis B e antigen

Budkowska

Petit

Karwowska

et al. 1984

Journal of Medical Virology

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Two subpopulations of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were isolated from a human liver infected with hepatitis B virus. HBeAg extracted from liver homogenate subsequent to treatment with buffered 3 M NaSCN or 0.5 M MgCl2 banded at the density of 1.13 g/cm3 in CsCl and was polydispersed on gel filtration. In contrast, HBeAg released with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was detected mainly at a density of 1.20 g/cm3 in a CsCl gradient and consisted of low molecular weight species on gel chromatography. Polypeptides of 40,000 and 45,000 daltons were found in NaSCN and PBS-released HBeAg preparations, respectively. The results are interpreted as suggestive that liver HBeAg is a dimer of the major core particle polypeptide in different physicochemical forms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation and characterization of liver‐derived hepatitis B e antigen

Budkowska

Petit

Karwowska

et al. 1984

Journal of Medical Virology

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“…This may contribute to nonspecific reactions. HBcAg isolated from Dane particles from plasma (17) is different in molecular weight and has other physicochemical characteristics than the HBcAg-derived from liver (21). Nonspecificity.…”

Section: Different Patient Materialmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of IgM antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen in hepatitis B carriers and hepatitis B-associated chronic liver disease

et al. 1982

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IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti‐HBc) was determined in 60 patients whose serum was positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 18 patients whose serum was negative for HBsAg, but positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc). Two radioimmunoassays were done utilizing either anti‐u antibody to capture IgM or Staphylococcus A protein to separate IgG and IgM. Both methods failed to detect IgM anti‐HBc in 30 healthy carriers, 5 HBsAg‐positive cirrhotics, 2 patients with HBsAg‐positive hepatocellular carcinoma, and 18 HBsAg‐negative anti‐HBc‐positive patients. IgM anti‐HBc was present in all 4 patients with acute hepatitis B and in 4 of 8 patients with HBsAg‐positive chronic active hepatitis. In patients with chronic active hepatitis, IgM anti‐HBc was positive in those with the most intense infiltrate of mononuclear cells on liver biopsy. There was no correlation with the presence of hepatitis B e antigen or anti‐HBe. Three of 11 patients with HBsAg‐positive chronic persistent hepatitis were intermittently positive by the Staphylococcus A method but all were negative by the u‐capture method when a low sensitivity cutoff was employed. The sensitivity of the test can be adjusted at will by the manufacturers and, therefore, introduction of interchangeable controls and standards will enable clinical application of this testing system with meaningful results. Testing for IgM anti‐HBc may help the clinician in differentiating healthy HBsAg carriers from patients with HBsAg‐positive acute and chronic hepatitis. It is also of value in differentiating patients with acute hepatitis B from HBsAg carriers who develop acute hepatitis of different etiology. Accumulation of more data and correlations with the intensity and nature of the mononuclear infiltrates in chronic hepatitis will increase understanding of the mechanism of switchover from IgM to IgG anti‐HBc response and factors favoring chronicity in hepatitis B.

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“…Highly charged residues on the surface of the virus may therefore be important for binding to the appropriate cellular receptors of susceptible cells. Further information on the biochemical properties of HBsAg expressed by human HBV may be found in Howard (1981).…”

Section: Expression Of Gene Sequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6) has proved more difficult to analyse partly because of the difficulty in either separating a sufficient quantity of HBcAg from virus particles free of HBsAg or partly because of the formation of immune complexes during the process of extracting core antigen from infected livers. As a result, there are several conflicting reports as to the physicochemical nature of the core particles from these sources (for review, see Howard, 1981). There is general agreement, however, that the glycoproteins are absent, although phosphorylation, of unknown function, of HBV core particles may occur (Albin & Robinson, 1980).…”

Section: Expression Of Gene Sequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%