Premium
Immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HBx‐antigen of hepatitis B virus
Author(s) -
Jung MariaChristina,
Stemler Marietta,
Weimer Thomas,
Spengler Ulrich,
Döhrmann Jutta,
Hoffmann Robert,
Eichenlaub Dieter,
Eisenburg Josef,
Paumgartner Gustav,
Riethmüller Gert,
Will Hans,
Pape Gerd R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840130405
Subject(s) - peripheral blood mononuclear cell , antigen , epitope , hbx , immune system , virology , biology , cd8 , virus , hepatitis b virus , immunology , t cell , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry
The hepatitis B virus genome encodes a transcriptional transactivator protein designated HBxAg. We have investigated whether this antigen is a target structure for human T‐lymphocytes. Using recombinant HBxAg protein, we found HBxAg‐specific stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 6) and chronic hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 17) but not in healthy individuals. With HBxAg‐specific synthetic polypeptides, several T‐cell epitopes were identified. Most were located in the carboxyterminal half of the HBxAg protein. Five T‐cell clones specific for a T‐cell epitope located at the carboxyterminal region of HBxAg were established and found to belong to the CD2/CD4‐positive, CD8‐negative subtype. These data establish for the first time HBxAg as an antigen in the cellular immune response. (H EPATOLOGY 1991;13:63–643.)