Characteristics of HBcAg(18-27) CTL epitopes of the main epidemic HBV strains in China.
- Author:
Shi-Wu MA
1
;
Min-Feng LIANG
;
Yue-Cheng YU
;
Zhan-Hui WANG
;
Bin ZHOU
;
Jin-Lin HOU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; China; epidemiology; Computational Biology; DNA, Viral; genetics; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; immunology; Female; Genotype; HLA-A Antigens; immunology; Hepatitis B Core Antigens; genetics; immunology; Hepatitis B virus; classification; immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic; epidemiology; immunology; virology; Humans; Male; Mutation; Sequence Analysis, DNA; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; immunology
- From: Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2008;16(2):93-96
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of the virology background of HLA-A2 restricted HBcAg(18-27) epitope mutations in HBV infected patients in China.
METHOD30 HBV sequences with different genotypes from Genbank were analyzed by bioinformatics and the mismatched primers were designed for constructing a PCR-RFLP method to screen HBcAg(18-27)V/I in China. The distributions of HBcAg(18-27)V/I of 160 samples with HBV genotype B/C infection from 8 areas in China were screened and analyzed by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. The affinity of HBcAg(18-27)V/I to HLA-A0201 was analyzed through referencing the bioinformatics websites.
RESULTSWe successfully constructed a PCR-RFLP method for screening HBcAg(18-27)V/I from genotype B/C, and only 3 samples with HBcAg(18-27)V sequence were found in the 160 samples (3/160, 1.88%). The affinity of HBcAg(18-27)I to HLA-A 0201 was lower than the one of HBcAg(18-27)V through bioinformatic analysis (HLA ligand score was 123 vs 156, and the SYFPEITHI score was 22 vs 24).
CONCLUSIONThe last amino acid of most HBcAg(18-27) sequences of epidemic HBV strains in China is isoleucine, and not valine. Therefore HBcAg(18-27) sequence background in different HBV genotypes should be thoroughly considered when using it as a reference or control in immunological research about HBV.
