ABSTRACT
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to study certain enzyme immunoassay steps for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Physical adsorption of monoclonal antibodies (mAb), blocking of surface active sites free of antibodies by neutral proteins, and capture of HBsAg particles by sensitized surfaces were visualized successively in microplate wells of standard immunological plates from various manufacturers. The previously undescribed details such as "etching holes" up to 20 nm in depth were observed on the surface of plates some companies. The quantitative relationships between the optical density (OD) values obtained by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and the number of antigen-antibody complexes in AFM were calculated.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/analysis , Microscopy, Atomic Force , Adsorption , Antigen-Antibody Reactions , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/immunology , Particle Size , Protein Denaturation , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Surface Properties , TemperatureABSTRACT
Blood samples taken from 231 native inhabitants of the village of Mendur-Sokkon located in the Republic of Altai (South-Western Siberia, Russia) were tested for the presence of virus hepatitis B (HBV) markers. 31 samples (13.4%) were found to contain HBsAg, 111 samples (48.05%) were found to contain total anti-HBc antibodies, 123 samples (53.24%) were found to contain anti-HBs antibodies and 15 blood samples (6.49%), anti-HBc antibodies without anti-HBs antibodies and HBsAg. The age-dependent distribution of the occurrence of HBV markers among the aboriginal population of the South Altal remained unchanged (69.9 +/- 7.9%) for the last 50 years. The vertical and horizontal routes of HBV transmissions were noted. The data obtained in this study are indicative of a highly endemic character of HBV of the territory of Mendur-Sokkon. HBsAg-positive blood samples were taken for HBsAg subtyping with the use of a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Two subtypes of HBsAg were detected: ayw1-2 and ayw3varB with the occurrence of 92.6% and 7.4%, i.e. distributed in the ratio 25/2.
