Expression of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Containing Y100C Variant Frequently Detected in Occult HBV Infection.

ABSTRACT: Small hepatitis B virus surface protein (S-HBsAg) variant Y100C has been associated with HBsAg-negative phenotype. To determine whether Y100C substitution yields impaired HBsAg or small amounts of HBsAg that may reduce HBsAg detection by commercial anti-HBsAg antibodies, two eukaryotic expression plasmids, one containing a wild-type S and the other an S gene from a Y100C variant, were constructed and their levels of HBsAg compared by ELISA after transfection of HuH7 cells. Unexpectedly, the extracellular HBsAg levels detected with Y100C plasmid were higher than those observed with the wild-type plasmid, but without statistical significance. We concluded that the Y100C substitution alone did not play a role in reducing HBsAg amounts or HBsAg affinity by commercial ELISA assay. Further studi

SUBMITTER: Mello FC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3038563 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature