Identification of antigenic regions of duck hepatitis B virus core protein with antibodies elicited by DNA immunization and chronic infection.

ABSTRACT: The induction of humoral response in ducks by DNA-based immunization against duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) core protein (DHBc) was investigated. In addition, the amino acid specificity of the induced response was compared by using peptide scanning to that elicited either by protein immunization or during chronic DHBV infection. Immunization of ducks with a plasmid expressing DHBc protein led to the induction of a long-lasting antibody response able to specifically recognize viral protein in chronically infected duck livers. Peptide scanning analysis of anti-DHBc response induced during chronic DHBV infection allowed us to identify six major antigenic regions (AR1 to AR6). The reactivity spectrum of duck sera elicited by protein immunization appeared narrower and was restricted to only four

SUBMITTER: Thermet A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC369491 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature