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Dissociated antibody responses to the s and pre‐s2 regions of the hepatitis b virus after vaccination in hemophiliacs
Author(s) -
Zanetti Alessandro,
Tanzi Elisabetta,
Mannucci Pier Mannuccio
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890280309
Subject(s) - virology , hepatitis b virus , antibody , vaccination , titer , hepatitis b , virus , medicine , antigen , immunology , biology
The membranes of hepatocytes and the pre‐S2 envelope protein of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) contain binding sites for polymerized human albumin, which is thought to act as a link between HBV and hepatocytes. Hence, anti‐pre‐S2 antibodies should prevent HBV uptake by the liver, and there is indeed preliminary evidence that they protect chimpanzees from HBV infection. To evaluate whether a plasma‐derived vaccine containing the pre‐S2 sequence induced an antipre‐S2 response in 105 vaccinated hemophiliacs, anti‐pre‐S2 was measured in parallel with antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti‐HBs). Eighty‐five percent of the hemophiliacs had both anti‐pre‐S2 and anti‐HBs when vaccination was completed, 13% had anti‐HBs alone, and 2% (two cases) had anti‐pre‐S2 alone. Eighty‐seven percent of anti‐pre‐S2‐positive hemophiliacs compared with only 50% of anti‐pre‐S2‐negative hemophiliacs ( P < 0.001) developed high anti‐HBs titers (≥ 1,000 mlU/ml). This study demonstrates, therefore, that the antibody responses to the S and pre‐S2 regions of HBV may be dissociated after vaccination in hemophiliacs and that higher anti‐HBs titers are attained in anti‐pre‐S2‐positive hemophiliacs.