Original Article
Free Access
Antibodies in Anti-HBe—positive patient sera bind to an HBe protein expressed on the cell surface of human hepatoma cells: Implications for virus clearance
Hans-jürgen Schlicht Ph.D.,
Albrecht von Brunn,
Lorenz Theilmann,
Corresponding Author
Hans-jürgen Schlicht Ph.D.
Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Abt. Virologie, Universität Ulm, Albert Einstein Allee 11, D-7900 Ulm, FRG===Search for more papers by this authorAlbrecht von Brunn
Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Search for more papers by this authorLorenz Theilmann
Medizinische Universitätsklinik, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Search for more papers by this authorHans-jürgen Schlicht Ph.D.,
Albrecht von Brunn,
Lorenz Theilmann,
Corresponding Author
Hans-jürgen Schlicht Ph.D.
Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Abt. Virologie, Universität Ulm, Albert Einstein Allee 11, D-7900 Ulm, FRG===Search for more papers by this authorAlbrecht von Brunn
Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Search for more papers by this authorLorenz Theilmann
Medizinische Universitätsklinik, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The relevance of the recently described membrane-bound form of the HBe protein for the antiviral immune response was examined. The data show that antibodies in anti-HBe, but not in anti-HBc—positive human sera efficiently bind to the membrane expressed HBe. No evidence was obtained that the HBc can reach the cell surface in a form that can be detected with human antibodies. The findings suggest that the decline of virus titer that is usually observed after seroconversion from HBe to anti-HBe might be the result of an antibody-mediated elimination of infected cells. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;13:57–61).
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