ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to determine the immune response of humans to viral capsid polypeptides of hepatitis A virus (HAV) after natural infection, which is very important for vaccine development. Antiviral capsids in 73 serum samples from patients with acute and chronic HAV infections were analyzed by immunoblotting against individual HAV capsid polypeptides (VP1, VP2, VP3, and VP4) by using a cell culture-based HAV antigen. For reference, total anti-HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-HAV IgM were also determined by radioimmunoassay. As a result, a dominant immune response against VP1 (98% IgG, 94% IgM) was found in the acute phase. However, many other sera also reacted with VP0 (88% IgG; 35% IgM) and VP3 (81% IgG and 29% IgM). In contrast to the acute phase, anti-VP1, anti-VP0, and anti-VP3, IgG antibodies against all three viral proteins (29, 29, and 73% respectively), especially those against VP3, were found years after onset of HAV disease and over long periods in the sera of hepatitis patients. These results suggest that antibodies for capsid polypeptides are present over an extended period in the sera of HAV-infected patients. They are likely of importance in maintaining long-term immunity.
Subject(s)
Capsid/immunology , Hepatitis A/immunology , Hepatitis Antibodies/blood , Hepatovirus/immunology , Capsid/isolation & purification , Hepatitis A Antibodies , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/bloodSubject(s)
Capsid/immunology , Hepatitis A/immunology , Hepatitis Antibodies/biosynthesis , Immunoglobulin M/biosynthesis , Animals , Guinea Pigs , Hepatitis A/blood , Hepatitis A Antibodies , Hepatitis Antibodies/blood , Humans , Immunoblotting , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Prospective Studies , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Biomarkers/analysis , Hepatitis E virus/immunology , Hepatitis E/transmission , RNA, Viral/analysis , Renal Dialysis/adverse effects , Base Sequence , DNA Primers/chemistry , Hepatitis E/diagnosis , Hepatitis E/virology , Hepatitis E virus/genetics , Humans , Kidney Failure, Chronic/therapy , Molecular Sequence Data , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Ultra-violet (UV) treatment has been shown to inactivate hepatitis A virus (HAV) in wastewater and polluted drinking water. Whether this method could be used to inactivate virus preparations made for vaccine purposes is not known since the effect of UV on the antigenicity of HAV has not been studied. HAV vaccine preparations have been treated effectively with formaldehyde. However, this method is time-consuming, since treatment times of up to 15 days have been published as necessary for a complete and safe inactivation. We used a cell-culture-derived HAV preparation with a TCID50 of 10(9) for a UV irradiation experiment. The antigenicity (assessed by a panel of anti-HAV antibodies), viral genome titre (quantitated by polymerase chain reaction) and HAV infectivity were compared after treatment with UV doses of 0, 184, 368, 552, 736 and 920 J m-2. Our results showed the antigenicity of HAV was almost unaltered even when infectious viral particles were no longer detectable. This technique shows potential as a simple and low-cost method for an inactivated HAV vaccine.
