3.Prediction and identification of B-cell linear epitopes of hepatitis B e antigen.
Jun YANG ; Ni LIU ; Ting ZHANG ; Shiping ZHAO ; Lei QIANG ; Baoshan SU ; Anjing KANG ; Zongfang LI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2013;33(2):253-257
<b>OBJECTIVEb>To predict and identify B-cell linear epitopes of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg).
<b>METHODSb>The B-cell linear epitopes of HBeAg were predicted using the software provided by NCBI Database and Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) and synthesized by a solid-phase method followed by conjugation with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The KLH conjugates were used for immunization of New Zealand white rabbits, and the immune response of the rabbits was monitored by direct ELISA using a bovine serum albumin conjugate of the predicted epitopes. RESULTS Four new B-cell linear epitopes of HBeAg were identified, namely (1)MDIDPYKEFG(10), (37)LYREALESPEHCSP(50), (74)SNLEDPAS(81) and (127)RTPPAYRPPNAPIL(140). The rabbits immunized with the KLH conjugate showed an antibody titer over 1:512 000. The antisera of B-cell linear epitopes collected could specifically react with HBeAg as shown by ELISA.
<b>CONCLUSIONb>Four B-cell linear epitopes of HBeAg have been confirmed using bioinformatics methods, which provides new evidence for further functional studies of HBeAg in hepatitis B.
Animals ; Computational Biology ; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Rabbits
5.A randomized controlled trial on effect of hepatitis B immune globulin in preventing hepatitis B virus transmission from mothers to infants.
Fu-yan WANG ; Ping LIN ; Hui-zhu ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2008;46(1):61-63
<b>OBJECTIVEb>To explore the effects of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) in prevention of mother-to-infant hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission.
<b>METHODb>A total of 279 pregnant women positive for HBsAg alone or for both HBsAg and HBeAg were enrolled into this study from January 2001 to May 2005. They were respectively divided into two groups at random, namely, only HBsAg-positiveexperimental group (n = 80), only HBsAg-positive control group (n = 60), both HBsAg and HBeAg-positive experimental group (n = 79) and both HBsAg and HBeAg-positive control group (n = 60). The two experimental groups were injected with HBIG once every four weeks until labor. The two control groups received no HBIG. The infants received intramuscular HBIG 16 hours after birth and two weeks later, in addition to routine immunization with hepatitis B vaccine. The infants were followed up and HBsAg was determined.
<b>RESULTSb>The HBsAg infection rates of babies in the four groups were respectively 3%, 13%, 10%, 32%. The infection rate of the infants whose mothers were injected with HBIG was significantly lower than that of the control group.
<b>CONCLUSIONb>The HBIG could effectively prevent HBV transmission from mothers to infants and reduce the HBV infection rate.
Female ; Hepatitis B ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; Infant ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; prevention & control
7.Screening and identification of HLA-A0201 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes from hepatitis B virus E antigen in vitro.
Juan CHEN ; Jin-Ming WU ; Huan ZHANG ; Lan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2013;21(1):38-41
<b>OBJECTIVEb>To identify HLA-A0201 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes derived from the hepatitis B virus e (HBe) antigen, for future use in a specific immunotherapy based on the identified epitope(s).
<b>METHODSb>HBe gene sequences from the hepatitis B virus serotypes with the highest frequencies in China were analyzed by bioinformatic web-based interfaces for quantitative motif prediction, extended motif prediction, and peptide super-motif prediction. Four candidate peptides were identified: HBe1, HBe2, HBe3, and HBe4. The affinities of each were tested in vitro with T2 cells, which lack the transporter-associated with antigen transport (TAP) protein but express low levels of the MHC class I surface molecule, and measured by the T2 binding assay and DC50 assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect the fluorescence index of control and experimental groups.
<b>RESULTSb>The peptides HBe1 (LLWFHISCL), HBe2 (YLVSFGVWI), HBe3 (CLTFGRETV), and HBe4 (DLLDTASAL) were identified and tested as candidate targets. HBe2 and HBe3 showed higher HLA-A0201 affinity. HBe1, HBe2, and HBe3 showed better binding stability.
<b>CONCLUSIONb>Two peptides based on HBe antigen, YLVSFGVWI and CLTFGRETV, possess both sufficient binding affinity and stability and may represent useful HLA-A0201-restricted CTL epitopes. Further study is needed to determine the immunogenic properties of these two peptides in vivo.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology
8.Natural History of HBeAg Negative Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: A Cohort Study.
Chang Mo MOON ; Do Young KIM ; Ki Jun SONG ; Ja Kyung KIM ; Hyun Woong LEE ; Jung Min LEE ; Ki Tae YOON ; Yong Han PAIK ; Dong Ki KIM ; Kwang Hyub HAN ; Chae Yoon CHON ; Young Myoung MOON ; Sang Hoon AHN
The Korean Journal of Hepatology 2006;12(2):163-172
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The long-term virologic and biochemical changes in patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection, especially in Asia, remain unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a 3 year- retrospective, cohort study. METHODS: A total of 157 patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection who were monitored without treatment were reviewed between January 1999 and March 2004. Those patients were followed up every 3 months with liver function tests and serologic tests. All patients were stratified into 3 groups; inactive carrier (IC), viremic carrier (VC) and chronic hepatitis (CH). Serum HBV DNA was measured by a hybridization assay (sensitivity: 1.4 x 10(5) genomes/mL, Digene Diagnostics, Silver Spring, USA). RESULTS: The median age of enrolled patients was 42.7 years (M:F=2.3:1). By single time-point observations, the 3 year-cohort prevalence of HBeAg negative CH varied from 12.7 to 35.8% (median 20.7%) HBeAg negative CH was accumulated over time (P=0.002) and transition rates among three groups after 3 years of follow-up are as follows: IC to CH, 6.0%; IC to VC, 4.1%; VC to CH, 23.2%. VC seems to be a disease state in the middle of transition from IC to CH. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the dynamic changing patterns of HBeAg negative CH with time, of which the change from IC or VC to CH was dominant.
Middle Aged
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Male
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Humans
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Hepatitis B, Chronic/*immunology/virology
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Hepatitis B e Antigens/*blood
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Female
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Carrier State/immunology
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Adult