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Anti—pre‐S responses and viral clearance in chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Author(s) -
Budkowska Agata,
Dubreuil Pascal,
Poynard Thierry,
Marcellin Patrick,
Loriot MarieAnne,
Maillard Patrick,
Pillot Jacques
Publication year - 1992
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.1840150106
Subject(s) - virology , medicine , virus , hepatitis b virus , immunology
Serial sera were collected prospectively during the clinical course of 13 HBsAg carriers with chronic liver disease and analyzed for ALT levels, pre‐S 1 and pre‐S 2 antigens and corresponding antibodies and other serological hepatitis B virus markers. In five patients, anti—pre‐S 1 and anti—pre‐S 2 antibodies became detectable in multiple serum samples, whereas in eight patients anti—pre‐S was never detected or only appeared transiently during the follow‐up. The first pattern was associated with normalization of ALT levels and undetectable pre‐S antigens and viral DNA by the polymerase chain reaction assay at final follow‐up. HBsAg clearance occurred in two of the five patients. The second pattern was one of persistence of HBsAg and pre‐S antigens, associated with the presence of serum HBV DNA detectable by spot hybridization or polymerase chain reaction regardless of clinical outcome. These findings demonstrate the occurrence of anti—pre‐S antibodies in chronic hepatitis B virus—induced liver disease and associate anti—pre‐S appearance with the clearance of hepatitis B virus from serum. (H EPATOLOGY 1992;15:26–31).