RESUMO
A recombinant antigen (p22-NS3), possessing putative HCV nucleocapsid protein (p22) and non-structural protein 3 (NS3) epitopes, was heavily expressed in E. coli and purified. The p22-NS3 purified recombinant antigen strongly reacts with sera containing human antibodies directed against p22 and NS3 providing a starting point for the design of an HCV single all-encompassing antigen for a blood screening assay.
Assuntos
Antígenos Virais/genética , Hepacivirus/imunologia , Proteínas do Core Viral/imunologia , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/imunologia , Antígenos Virais/química , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Clonagem Molecular , Hepacivirus/química , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/imunologia , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/imunologia , Proteínas do Core Viral/química , Proteínas do Core Viral/genética , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/químicaRESUMO
Specific domains of the NS4 and NS5 gene products of hepatitis C virus have been identified using hydrophilicity profiles for the prediction of potential immunogenic regions, and epitope scanning techniques. Peptides synthesised on the basis of such data show excellent reactivity in the ELISA format. Introduction of a glycine-glycine spacer between two peptides (NS4-12 and NS5-44) to give a single chimeric peptides does not appear to impair immunoreactivity. An ELISA based on the chimeric peptide and a Core-NS3 recombinant protein correctly diagnoses a cohort of haemodialysed patients, three commercial HCV panels and the sera of a negative control population.
Assuntos
Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Mapeamento de Epitopos , Hepacivirus/imunologia , Hepatite C/diagnóstico , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Sequência de Bases , Sequência de Carboidratos , Estudos de Coortes , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Estudos de Avaliação como Assunto , Hepacivirus/isolamento & purificação , Hepatite C/sangue , Hepatite C/imunologia , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/imunologia , Testes SorológicosRESUMO
Personal experience of 58 portal hypertension patients monitored for a period of 30 months is presented. Biliary lithiasis was encountered in 34.4% of these patients. The almost symptom-free course of the biliary pathology is highlighted and the surgical problems arising including those related to portal by-pass operations are examined.