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Comprehensive regression analysis of hepatitis B virus × antigen level and anti-HBx antibody titer in the sera of patients with HBV infection

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

Although the pathogenetic significance of hepatitis B virus x protein (HBxAg) in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and primary hepatocellular carcinoma has already been studied, the comparative analyses of both the actual serum HBxAg levels and antibody production against various HBx epitopes have been examined to lesser extent. We have simultaneously investigated the relationship between antibody production (IgG andIgM) against the HBxAg fragments and HBxAg level in the sera of patients with acute (14) or chronic hepatitis (80) and symptomless carriers (12). A recently developed sandwich-type ELISA was used for the quantitative measurements of HBxAg. Overlapping recombinant and synthetic antigens were used to map the fine epitope specificities of circulating anti-HBx antibodies. In acute hepatitis, we have found high and homogenous correlation in the IgM type immune responses against all the examined HBxAg regions. Moreover, strong correlation has been observed between IgG type immune responses to a characteristic C-terminal region (C1: 79–117) and the longest fragment (X: 10–143). Moderate correlation has been found between HBxAg concentration and the IgG type anti-HBx antibody levels against C-terminus of HBxAg in patients with chronic hepatitis. In the case of symptomless carriers, there were also demonstrable associations in the immune responses against the C-terminal sequences; however, significant correlations were found for antibody production against the N-terminal region as well. The examinations show that the C-terminal sequence, responsible for transactivation, promotes an efficient IgG antibody response in all three groups of patients, whereas the negative regulator N-terminal part of the HBxAg molecule for the most part does not trigger antibody production. This suggests that the immune responses against various — biologically active — epitopes of the HBxAg may have a different role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis and may be used as prognostic markers in human HBV infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology and Biotechnology, University of Pécs, Faculty of Medicine, Szigeti u. 12., H-7643, Pécs, Hungary

    József Pál, Zoltán Nyárády, Krisztián Kvell & Péter Németh MD, PhD (Prof. Dr.)

  2. Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pécs, Hungary

    Zoltán Nyárády

  3. 1st Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Hungary

    Alajos Pár

  4. Departtnent of Anatomy, University of Szeged, Hungary

    Ilona Marczinovits

  5. Faculty of Medicine, University of Garyounis, Benghazi, Libyan Jamahiriya

    Younes Saleh All

  6. Division of Virology, Béla Johan National Center for Epidemiology, University of Pécs, Hungary

    Younes Saleh All & György Berencsi

  7. Clinical Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy, University of Pécs, Hungary

    József Pál

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  1. József Pál
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  2. Zoltán Nyárády
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  3. Ilona Marczinovits
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  4. Alajos Pár
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  7. Krisztián Kvell
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  8. Péter Németh MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Péter Németh MD, PhD.

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Pál, J., Nyárády, Z., Marczinovits, I. et al. Comprehensive regression analysis of hepatitis B virus × antigen level and anti-HBx antibody titer in the sera of patients with HBV infection. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 12, 34–40 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893429

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893429

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