Coexistence of hepatitis B virus quasispecies enhances viral replication and the ability to induce host antibody and cellular immune responses.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) quasispecies contain a large number of variants that serve as a reservoir for viral selection under antiviral treatment and the immune response, leading to the acute exacerbation and subsequent development of liver failure. However, there is no clear experimental evidence for a significant role of HBV quasispecies in viral pathogenesis. In the present study, HBV sequences were amplified from a patient with severe liver disease and used for construction of HBV replication-competent plasmids. Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence staining were performed to analyze the expression, secretion, and subcellular localization of viral proteins in vitro. Viral replication intermediates were detected by Southern

SUBMITTER: Cao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4135971 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature