Immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HBx-antigen of hepatitis B virus
Corresponding Author
Maria-Christina Jung M.D.
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, Goethestrasse 31, D-8000 Munich 2, Germany===Search for more papers by this authorMarietta Stemler
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, 8033 Martinsried
Search for more papers by this authorThomas Weimer
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, 8033 Martinsried
Search for more papers by this authorUlrich Spengler
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorJutta Döhrmann
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorRobert Hoffmann
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorJosef Eisenburg
Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder, 8000 München, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorGustav Paumgartner
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorGert Riethmüller
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorGerd R. Pape
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Maria-Christina Jung M.D.
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, Goethestrasse 31, D-8000 Munich 2, Germany===Search for more papers by this authorMarietta Stemler
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, 8033 Martinsried
Search for more papers by this authorThomas Weimer
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, 8033 Martinsried
Search for more papers by this authorUlrich Spengler
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorJutta Döhrmann
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorRobert Hoffmann
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorJosef Eisenburg
Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder, 8000 München, Germany
Search for more papers by this authorGustav Paumgartner
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorGert Riethmüller
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorGerd R. Pape
Institut für Immunologie, Universität München, 8000 München
Med. Klinik II, Univ. Klinik Großhadern, 8000 München
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
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. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;13:63–643.)
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