J. gen. Virol. (I978), 38, 549-559
549
Printed in Great Britain
Radioimmunoassay and Some Properties of Human Antibodies
to Hepatitis B Core Antigen
By A. R. N E U R A T H , W. S Z M U N E S S , C. E. S T E V E N S , N. S T R I C K
AND E. J. H A R L E Y
The Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute o f The N e w York Blood Center,
N e w York, N e w York 1o021, U.S.A.
(Accepted IO October 1977)
SUMMARY
A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen
(anti-HBc) is described. Polystyrene beads coated with anti-HB0, hepatitis B core
antigen prepared from pooled sera of humans infected with hepatitis B virus
(HBV) and 125I-labelled anti-HBo were used for the test.
Distinct patterns of development and changes of anti-HBc and their immunologic properties are all related to variations of other markers specific for HBV
infections. Knowledge concerning the detailed features of the immune response to
hepatitis B core antigen may provide deeper insight into the pathogenesis of HBV
infections.
INTRODUCTION
The putative hepatitis B virus, commonly designated as the Dane particle (Dane, Cameron
& Briggs, I97o) consists of a nucleocapsid 27 nm in diameter within a lipoprotein shell.
Distinct antigenic determinants are associated with the outer surfaces of the lipoprotein
envelope and the nucleocapsid (Alrneida, Rubenstein & Stott, I971). These determinants
are referred to as hepatitis B surface antigen (HB~Ag) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBoAg)
respectively. Several techniques have been developed for the assay of antibody to HBoAg
(anti-HBc): complement fixation (Hoofnagle, Gerety & Barker, 1973), immune adherence
haemagglutination (Tsuda et al. I975), immunofluorescence (Brzosko et al. I975), counterimmunoelectrophoresis tests (cf. Howard & Zuckerman, 1977), and radioimmunoassays
using either HB~Ag containing tritiated DNA (Robinson & Greenman, I974; Moritsugu
et al. I975; Greenman, Robinson & Vyas, 1975; Howard & Zuckerman, 1977) or a~sIlabelled anti-HBc (Purcell et al. I973; Vyas & Roberts, 1977).
Anti-HBo develops regularly during type B hepatitis and is an indicator of either recent acute
infection or of chronic infection by hepatitis B virus (Hoofnagle et al. ~973, 1974; Krugman
et al. t974; Hoofnagle, Gerety & Barker, I975; Szmuness et al. I976). The titre of antiHBo in sera of HB~Ag carriers appeared to be unrelated to the concentration of Dane
particles determined directly by electron microscopy or estimated indirectly by testing the
sera for HB~Ag-specific DNA polymerase activity or for e antigen (HB,Ag) (Takahashi et
al. I976; Imai et al. 1976), an additional soluble antigen specifically associated with hepatitis
B virus (HBV) infections (Magnius & Espmark, 1972) and an apparent marker for the
infectivity of HB,Ag-positive sera.
We describe here a sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay for anti-HB, and its appli35
V~R
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38
55 °
A. R. NEURATH AND OTHERS
cation to the study of anti-HB~ in individuals infected by HBV. Our results suggest that
anti-HBo present in HBoAg-positive sera differs qualitatively from anti-HBo in sera containing antibodies to HB~Ag (anti-HB,), and that the magnitude of quantitative changes
in the titre of anti-HBo with time may be of value in predicting the probable outcome of
infections by HBV.
METHODS
Preparation of the HB~Ag reagent. Sera positive for HB~Ag were centrifuged at 37ooo g
for I6 h to pellet the Dane particles. In some cases, the sera were first precipitated with 6 %
(w/v) polyethylene glycol, and the pellets containing Dane particles (Neurath & Strick, 1977)
were resuspended in o.oi M-tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane-o.I 4 M-NaCl-o.o2 % NaN~
(TS) in I/5 of the original serum volume and then centrifuged as above. The pellets containing Dane particles were suspended in TS in I/IOO of the original serum volume and
pronase (IOO #g/ml) was added. The mixtures were incubated for I h at 37 °C. Solid KBr
was added to a buoyant density of 1.3o g/ml and the mixtures were transferred into centrifuge tubes (3 to 8 ml/tube) for either the SW 25.2 or SW 25. I rotors (Spinco Division,
Beckman Instruments, Palo Alto, California). A gradient of KBr (density 1.28 to 1"15 g/ml)
was layered on top of the mixtures. The tubes were centrifuged at 25o00 rev/min for 24 h.
Fractions with a density of 1.2o to 1-24 g/ml which contained most of the HB~Ag and the
Dane particles were pooled, dialysed against TS and then centrifuged at 370o0 g for I6 h.
The pellets were resuspended in i ml of TS and treated with 5o #g of pronase for I h at
37 °C and then layered on top of a 7"5 to 20% (w/w) sucrose gradient in a centrifuge tube
for the SW 65 rotor. The pellet obtained after centrifuging at 35ooo rev/min for 2 h was
resuspended in 5 ml o f o . t M-NH4CI-o.o8 M-MgCI2-o'25 % mercaptoethanol-o.5 % Nonidet
P4o (pH 7"6), incubated for I h at 37 °C and stored at 4 °C. No loss of HBoAg activity
was observed after storage for 4 months. The properties of HBcAg will be described in a
separate paper (Neurath, Huang & Strick, I978).
Radioimmunoassay for anti-HBc. Polystyrene beads (diam. 6 mm) were immersed in a
solution of anti-HBc [IOO/~g IgG/ml in o.I M-tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, p H 8.8]
prepared from an anti-HBo-positive serum as described before (Neurath & Strick, 1977).
After several hours at room temperature, the solution of anti-HBo was removed, the beads
were washed several times with TS and then immersed in a solution of bovine haemoglobin
(IO mg/ml in TS). After standing overnight at 4 °C, the beads were washed with TS, dried
and stored at 4 °C.
Anti-HB~ from anti-HB, and HBoAg-positive sera were labelled with Nal~SI or with NalalI
as described before (Neurath & Strick, I977)For routine determinations of anti-HBc, proper dilutions (0"4 ml) of test samples in sheep
serum diluted I : 5 with TS were mixed with I #1 of the HBcAg reagent and incubated for
30 min at 37 °C- Negative (I :5 sheep serum) and positive (I:5 sheep serum+ I/~1 of the
HBcAg reagent) controls were included with each set of test samples. Anti-HBo-coated beads
were added and the incubation was continued for I6 h at room temperature. The beads
were washed with TS and then incubated for 2 h at 37 °C with 0"3 ml of I : 5 sheep serum
and with o.I ml of the labelled anti-HBo (200000 ct/min). Finally, the beads were washed
with TS and counted in a y-counter. Radioactive counts corresponding to the negative
control were subtracted from all results.
To study the competition for determinants on HBoAg between unlabelled anti-HBo,
1~5I- and 13q-labelled anti-HBc, beads were first incubated overnight at room temperature
with the HBcAg reagent (I #1 in 0"4 ml of I : 5 sheep serum). The beads were washed with
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Antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen
551
TS, and a mixture of unlabelled and labelled (200000 ct/min for each label) anti-HBo in
I : 5 sheep serum was added. The beads were incubated for 2 h at 37 °C, washed with TS
and counted in a two-channel 7-counter. All results were corrected for spillover of xa~Icounts into the channel for counting ~25I.
Other methods. Isoelectric focusing was performed as described before (Neurath &
Strick, 1977). HB~Ag and antibodies to HB~Ag (anti-HB,) were determined by radioimmunoassays using commercial reagents (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois). Rheophoresis was used to detect HBoAg and anti-HBo (Neurath & Strick, I977). Serum glutamicpyruvic transaminase (SGPT) was tested spectrophotometrically using the Enztrate test kit
(Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, California) and following the instructions of the manufacturer. Sera were collected from patients and personnel of haemodialysis units in biweekly
to I month intervals.
To study the class specificity of anti-HB,, 4o #1 samples of sera diluted with TS to I ml
were applied to z. 5 ml columns of insolubilized antibodies to human immunoglobulins.
The columns were prepared by binding the IgG fractions from antisera to human immunoglobulins (Behring Diagnostics, Somerville, New Jersey) to CNBr-Sepharose (Pharmacia,
Uppsala, Sweden). The columns were incubated for 3o min at 37 °C and I h at 4 °C and then
washed at 4 °C with 6 ml of TS supplemented with NaC1 (o'5 M). The adsorbed immunoglobulins were eluted at 24 °C with 6 ml of o.z M-NaHCOs--o.5 M-NaC1 (pH Io"9).
RESULTS
Specificity and relative sensitivity of the radioimmunoassay for anti-HBo
The basis of the radioimmunoassay is the inhibition by anti-HBc in serum test samples
of the attachment of HBoAg to plastic beads coated with anti-HBc. The quantity of HBoAg
bound to the beads is determined by measuring the amount of 125I-labelled anti-HBc
adsorbed to the beads during a subsequent incubation step after they had been washed to
remove all unattached HBoAg and unlabelled anti-HBo from the samples. To determine the
optimum quantity of HB~Ag for the test, serial twofold dilutions of the HBcAg reagent
in sheep serum diluted fivefold with TS were incubated with the beads overnight at 24 °C
and the relative quantity of bound HBoAg was determined. The quantity of 125I-labelled
anti-HBo bound to the beads increased non-linearly with decreasing dilution of HBoAg
(Fig. 1). One #1 of the HBcAg reagent per test (corresponding to a dilution of 1:4oo) was
used in subsequent experiments. Incubation of the beads with HBoAg instead of HBoAg
did not cause subsequent attachment of the radioactive antibody. Addition of anti-HB,
to HBoAg inhibited the binding of a2~I-labelled anti-HBc to the beads (Fig. 2). Some sera
from carriers of HBsAg tested in our experiments caused a 5o % inhibition at dilutions up
to 1:51ooo. The slopes of dose response curves varied for different sera, an observation
which will be discussed later.
To evaluate the relative sensitivity of the test for anti-HBc, a panel of sera supplied by
the Bureau of Biologics, Food and Drug Administration and used for evaluation of the
sensitivity of tests for HB,Ag was screened for anti-HBc. All sera were tested at a I : I6
dilution. Results in Table I show that the radioimmunoassay for anti-HB~ is less efficient
in screening out HB~Ag carriers from blood donors than current tests for HB~Ag. However,
the method identifies additional individuals whose serum may contain HBV although
negative for HB~Ag by current test methods (Table z).
To further evaluate the specificity of the radioimmunoassay for anti-HBo, sera from
patients with HB~Ag-negative alcoholic liver cirrhosis (5), acute non-A non-B hepatitis
35-2
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552
A. R. N E U R A T H A N D OTHERS
2800
_I
I
I
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I
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~
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I
1400
2400
1200
.L-.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
•~ 2000
B
/ i i / ~I ~ '--- >
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~1000
~1600
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800
1200
.~ 600
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Antigen dilution
Fig. [
0
2 -z
2 6
2-8
J
°
'
/
°
/
2-10 2-tz 2-14 2-~6 ~ 18
Antibody dilution
Fig.2
Fig. i. Radioimmunoassay of HB~Ag. Relationship between 125I-labelled anti-HB~ bound to polystyrene beads and the dilution of HB~Ag.
Fig. 2. Radioimmunoassay inhibition test of anti-HBo. Dose response curves for a serum containing
HB~Ag ((3---(3) and anti-HB, (Q--Q), respectively. Horizontal broken line indicates the radioactivity corresponding to a positive control containing HBoAg but no anti-HB~.
T a b l e i. Detection of anti-HBc in a panel of HB+Ag reference sera
Relative concentration of HB+Ag in serum
as indicated by the supplier of the panel
Frequency of anti-HBo
detection at a serum
dilution of I : I6"
A. Reactive by all methods including agar gel diffusion
B. Reactive by counter-electrophoresis, reversed passive
haemagglutination and radioimmunoassay
C. Reactive only by reversed passive haemagglutination
and radioimmunoassay
(C). Only occasionally positive by third generation (C) test methods
D. Non-reactive by current test methods but containing
low levels of HB+Ag
N. Non-reactive by current test methods
3/3
5/5
6]9
1/2
I/z
2]4
* All sera inhibited the binding of 125I-labeUedanti-HBo by more than 50 %.
(Prince et al. I974) (3), a n d acute hepatitis A (5) were tested at a dilution o f I : I 6 . Only
t w o o f the sera h a d anti-HB¢, a n d these two were f r o m hepatitis A virus-infected children
f r o m a school o f the m e n t a l l y retarded, i.e., f r o m an e n v i r o n m e n t where hepatitis B is also
prevalent. N o r m a l h u m a n sera a n d a n i m a l sera tested u n d i l u t e d inhibited the a t t a c h m e n t
o f a25I-anti-HBo b y a b o u t 4o to 60 %. The n a t u r e o f this effect r e m a i n s u n k n o w n . H o w e v e r ,
s o m e h u m a n sera (tested u n d i l u t e d o r 1:4 diluted) h a d a higher i n h i b i t o r y effect, suggesting
the presence o f low levels o f anti-HB,.
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Antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen
553
Table 2. Detection of anti-HB~ in a group of HB,Ag-negative sera
Characterization of serum
based on previous results
(Szmuness et al. 1976)*
Positive for both anti-HB~
and anti-HBo
Negative for anti-HB~
Positive for anti-HBo
Positive for anti-HB,
Negative for anti-HBo
Minimal inhibition of
Frequency of anti-HB~
12~I-anti-HBo
detection by radioimmunoassay
attachment observed
at a serum dilution of
in groupt
I:I6
II/II
4° %
6/6
42 %
7/I6
20%
* Anti-HB~ was detected by complement fixation tests.
4- The highest inhibition observed with 2 out of 32 normal human sera tested at I : I6 dilutions was I3"3 ~.
An inhibition equal to or higher than 2o ~ was considered specific for anti-HBo.
Table 3. Prevalence of anti-HB~ in serum (negative for both HB, Ag and anti-HB~)
of patients and staff members of haemodialysis units
Characterization of the test group
Frequency of anti-HB~ detection
at a serum dilution of I : I6
Patients haemodialysed for more than 3 years
Patients haemodialysed for less than I year
Staff members employed for less than I year
12/25
I/I9
1/22
Development and changes in anti-HB~ in the serum of selected individuals
infected with HBV
Hepatitis B is prevalent among patients and staff members of haemodialysis units. The
radioimmunoassay test for anti-HBo identified additional individuals who were infected with
HBV but whose serum was negative for both HB~Ag and anti-HB~ and did not show elevated
levels of SGPT (Table 3). Considering the frequency of positive tests for each HB~Ag, antiHB~ and anti-HBo, at least 75 % of patients treated for more than 3 years were infected with
HBV. The high rate of HBV infections in haemodialysis units and the long-term surveillance of patients and staff members allowed us to select individuals recently infected with
HBV who showed distinct patterns of anti-HBc development in relation to other markers
for HBV infection. The results summarized in Fig. 3 indicate that: (I) unless present at the
initiation of surveillance (panels 5, 6, 7), anti-HBc appeared abruptly at titres /> ~ :27;
(2) the initiation of synthesis of anti-HBo coincided approximately with the first signs of
liver damage as indicated by elevated levels of serum SGPT (panels I, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, io);
(3) clearance of HBoAg from serum and/or detection of anti-HB~ usually occurred during a
decline of anti-HBc levels (panels ~ to 7); (4) a low rate of clearance of anti-HBo (panel 5)
and a prolonged period in which levels of anti-HBc increased (panels 8 to Io) seemed to be
associated with sporadic and prolonged liver damage, respectively; (5) HBoAg appeared in
serum during a time interval in which titres of anti-HBc increased (panels 8 to ~o); (6)
infection with HBV is not necessarily associated with even transient presence of HB~Ag
(detectable by radioimmunoassay) in serum (panel 4); (7) the fast clearance rate of antiHBo from serum (panels 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) corresponded to an anti-HBo half-life of I6 to 53
days; (8) after clearance of HBsAg from serum and before anti-HB~ becomes detectable,
anti-HBc represents the only marker for HBV infection (panels r, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8).
In order to determine the class of anti-HBo appearing early in the course of infection,
samples of the first specimen positive for anti-HB, (panel 9, Fig. 3) were chromatographed
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8
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t
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(8)
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Fig. 3. Development of anti-HBo in relation to other markers of infection by HBV in patients (panels 5 to Io) and staff members (panels
i to 4) of haemodialysis units. All sera were tested for anti-HB~ at a 1:52 dilution. Sera negative for anti-HB~ were retested at a i :8 dilution
and were again found negative in all cases. The 50 ~ inhibition end-points were determined from dose response curves (see Fig. 2) and plotted
on Fig. 3 ( 0 - - 0 ) . Short perpendicular lines at the ends of the bars representing different HBV markers indicate positivity at the start or
termination of surveillance. Position of bars along vertical axis has no meaning. [m, Anti-HBc; V~, HB~Ag; [], anti-HB~; i , elevated SGPT;
~ , HB~Ag.
I0
12
14
"~ 16
o
"2
10
12
14
16 I
0
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4~
Antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen
555
Table 4- Association of early anti-HB~ with distinct immunoglobulin classes
Anti-HB~ titret of
c-
Type of immunosorbent
column*
Anti-IgG
Anti-IgA
Anti-IgM
Unadsorbed
immunoglobulins
1:2 4
i :23
I :3
Adsorbed immunoglobulins
subsequently eluted
at pH Io'9
I : Io
1:9
t : 21
* Immunodiffusion tests with the unadsorbed, and the adsorbed and subsequently eluted proteins revealed
that each immunosorbent column specifically and completely adsorbed the immunoglobulins of the proper
class. Anti-lgD and anti-IgE columns adsorbed very little anti-HB~, probably non-specifically.
Corresponding to 50 70 inhibition end.points determined from anti-HB~ dose response curves (Fig. 2).
Table 5. Comparison of slopes of anti-HB, dose response curves
from HB,Ag- and anti-HB,-positive sera*
Characterization of anti-HBc
HBeAg-positive serum
Anti-HBe-positive serum
F(ab)~ fragment from:
HB~Ag-positiveserum
Anti-HB~-positive serum
Magnitude of maximum slope
ct/min
]
(logs (anti-HBc dilution/
I 5 0 ; 2 2 0 ; 2 3 0 ; 2 5 0 ; (meant: 2 I 3 ~ 2 2 )
700; 450; 370; 300; (mean~ : 455 +-87)
I5O (I73)~
350 (4Io)~
* The slopes reflect the avidity of antibodies (Celada, Schmidt & Strom, I969).
t The difference between the two means is statistically significant (t test, P < o'oI).
:~ Values obtained with two different batches of anti-HBo-coated beads.
on columns of insolubilized antibodies to the distinct classes of human immunoglobulins.
The unadsorbed, and the adsorbed and subsequently eluted immunoglobulins were tested
for anti-HBc. Results summarized in Table 4 show that anti-HBo activity was associated
predominantly with lgM. In a specimen taken from the same patient Io6 days later, antiHBo was detected mostly in I g G as determined by the same technique.
Qualitative differences between anti-HB, apparently related to the presence of
either HB,Ag or anti-HB, in individual sera
Differences in anti-HBo dose response curves were observed between sera positive for
HBoAg and anti-HBe, respectively (Fig. 2). Similar results were obtained with three additional randomly selected pairs of HBeAg- and anti-HBe-positive sera and with F(ab)~
fragments prepared from I g G isolated from two of the respective sera (Table 5). In order
to explain the observed differences in the slope of the dose response curves, anti-HBo I g G
prepared from HBoAg- and anti-HBo-positive sera were labelled with lzaI and a25I, respectively. Experiments using beads coated with HBcAg revealed that the x25I- and 13XI-labelled
anti-HB0 competed for the same antigenic sites on HB,Ag and that the l~5I-labelled antibodies were bound preferentially when an excess of both radioactive antibodies was added
to the beads. This suggested that anti-HBo from anti-HBo-positive sera may have a higher
average affinity for antigenic sites on HBcAg than corresponding antibodies from HBoAgpositive sera. Therefore, it was expected that addition of unlabelled anti-HBo to HBoAgcoated beads suspended in a mixture of a25I- and ~3q-labelled anti-HBo (added in constant
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556
A. R. NEURATH AND OTHERS
2'5
2'0
b
O
O
ooo
oo
O
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o
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0 0
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00e °
0 OeO0
~
t
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01:27
1 : 270
Serum dilution
Fig. 4. Results of three-way competition tests between anti-HB, present in individual sera (tested
at dilutions of 1:27 and 1:27o) positive for either HBeAg(©) or anti-HB~ (O), ]~SI-labelledantiHB~ (isolated from an anti-HB~-positiveserum) and ~3]I-labelledanti-HBo(isolated from an HB~Agpositive serum). Both labelled anti-HB¢ were added at fixed ratios in identical amounts for each
test. Circles with bars on the right side of individual plotted experimental results correspond to
the mean values. The length of the bars indicates the magnitude of the standard error of the mean.
quantities) would suppress the binding of each of the labelled antibodies unequally, depending on the origin of the cold anti-HBc. This would result in a change of the ratio of
1251/131I anti-HBc bound to the beads as compared with the proportion of each labelled
anti-HBo adsorbed to the beads when cold anti-HBc was absent. Indeed, additions of 2to 128-fold dilutions of an HB~Ag- and an anti-HBo-positive serum (each positive for
anti-HBc) to identical mixtures of labelled anti-HBo, altered the 12~IylI ratio of bound
radioactivity r'o4- to 2.2-fold and 0"35- to o'93-fold, respectively. The lower numbers in
each case corresponded to lower serum dilution and vice versa. Based on these results,
additional anti-HBo-positive (2i) and HBoAg-positive (69) sera were tested in the same way
at two distinct dilutions. The results (Fig. 4) indicate a statistically significant difference
(P < o.oi for a t test of significance between two sample means) between anti-HBo in
HBoAg- and anti-HBo-positive sera.
The preferential binding of 125I-labelled antibodies as compared to ~3~I-labelled immuneglobulins was not due to the distinct isotopes used. When each antibody was labelled with
125I, the tagged immunoglobulin from the anti-HBe-positive serum was less efficiently displaced by unlabelled anti-HB0 from HBcAg-coated beads than was the l~SI-anti-HBo from
HBoAg-positive serum.
To determine whether the observed differences in the behaviour of anti-HBo depending
on their origin were reflected in their physical properties, HB~Ag- and anti-HBe-positive
sera from long-term HB,Ag carriers were submitted to isoelectric focusing. Results in Fig. 5
indicate that regardless of its origin, anti-HBc was heterogeneous with respect to charge
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557
A n t i b o d i e s to h e p a t i t i s B c o r e a n t i g e n
I
I
I
I
I
10
100
90
9
80
8
7O
60
7
I
•= 50
r--
0 °
6
" 40
o o
30
zz
5
0 o
o 00
20
o D
000
4
10
I
I
I
12
16
20
~_
24 28 32 36
Fraction number
3
I
40
44
48
52
Fig. 5. Isoelectric focusing of anti-HB~ f r o m HB,Ag-positive sera containing either HBeAg ( ~ ,
fractions tested at a 1:20 dilution) or anti-HB~ ([~, fractions tested at a 1:8o dilution); 0 , pH.
and therefore probably polyclonal. The distribution of anti-HBo in the pH gradient was
within the pH range of 7 to 9"75- The largest portion of anti-HBo was recovered in fractions
with a pH between 8"25 and 9.25.
DISCUSSION
Brzosko et al. (I975) detected anti-HBo predominantly in IgG by an indirect immunofluorescent test when they examined sera collected during the first week of overt clinical
illness from patients acutely infected with HBV. These authors did not notice a shift in the
class specificity of anti-HBo from IgM to IgG during the course of illness and concluded
that HBV infections may differ from other viral and non-viral infection with respect to
development of the immune response to the particular antigens. Our limited results obtained
by methods more amenable to quantitative evaluation than immunofluorescence, indicate
a switch in anti-HBc production from IgM to IgG, as would be expected (Svehag, I966).
As noticed before (Hoofnagle et al. I974; Krugman et al. 1974; Hoofnagle et al. I975),
anti-HB, becomes detectable in serum at or close to the time during which clinical symptoms
and/or abnormal levels of liver enzymes in serum are evident, i.e., much before appearance
of a humoral or cellular immune response to HB~Ag (Vyas et al. 1975). The SGPT activity
returned to normal levels in serum usually during a decline of anti-HBc titres (Fig. 3). In
other individuals, a prolonged period during which titres of anti-HB~ increased was associated with prolonged liver damage. These results suggest a correlation, not necessarily
causal, between liver injury, the synthesis of HBcAg and the immune response to it.
In some individuals with probably good prognosis for recovery, anti-HB~ was cleared
rapidly from serum in agreement with previous results (Krugman et al. I974; Hoofnagle
et al. I975). The relatively short half-life of anti-HBo (16 to 53 days) as compared with the
average half-life of IgG of 2I days (Stevenson, I974) suggests elimination of the immunologic stimulus, i.e., cessation of the synthesis of HBoAg. In other cases, anti-HB, continued
to rise for a relatively long period, indicating continued synthesis of HB~Ag. This is supported by the detection of HBoAg, a marker for infectivity and for continued synthesis of
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55 8
A. R. N E U R A T H
AND
OTHERS
Dane particles (Magnius & Espmark, 1972; Takahashi et aL 1976; Imai et aL ~976) in the
sera during the same time interval.
The course of hepatitis B infections may be modified by administration of either interferon or of interferon inducers (Greenberg et al. I976; Desmyter et al. I976; Purcell et al.
1976). However, in most cases, anti-HB~ titres in serum did not decrease after such treatment indicating sufficient synthesis of HBcAg to stimulate a continued immune response.
Therefore, the probability that the interferon-treated subjects will eliminate HB,Ag may
be less than for individuals clearing anti-HBo rapidly, as suggested by our results.
Anti-HBo consists of antibodies with relatively high isoelectric points. This is in agreement with the relatively low isoelectric point of HB~Ag (pH 4"4; Howard & Zuckerman,
1977) and the general rule of an inverse relationship between the net electric charge of
antigens and their corresponding antibodies (Sela, 1966).
The dose response curves of anti-HB, originating from HBoAg- and anti-HBo-positive
sera differed significantly not only for the intact immunoglobulins but also for the corresponding F(ab)~ fragments. Therefore, this dissimilarity cannot be explained by the possible
presence in anti-HBo positive sera of rheumatoid factors (Kacaki, Siem & Brouwer, 1977;
Tedder & Briggs, 1977) reacting with the Fc portion of IgG and possibly enhancing the
reaction between HBoAg and anti-HBo (Ashe & Notkins, 1966). The distinct dose response
curves may rather be attributed to a relatively low affinity of anti-HBo from HBoAgpositive sera for antigenic determinants on HBoAg. As mentioned before, HB,Ag positivity is associated with serum infectivity and with continued synthesis of Dane particles and
their nucleocapsid component. On the other hand, anti-HBo positivity is accompanied by
greatly diminished production of HBcAg. The corollary of our findings is the probable
association between the biosynthesis of HBoAg and the avidity of antibodies to HB~Ag,
suggesting that they may either be involved in the modulation of HBV infections, or that
their properties may merely reflect the immune competence of the host. It also seems
plausible that a portion of anti-HBo is used up in the formation of antigen-antibody complexes in individuals continuously producing HBoAg. In such circumstances, the proportion
in serum of unbound anti-HBc with low avidity could increase.
This study was supported by grant HL o9o11-14 from The National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute and by contract AI-62512 from The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. We thank Dr Richard D. Aach for HB~Ag-negative sera from patients
with liver cirrhosis, Dr P. Beasley for HBeAg-positive sera, and Dr A. M. Prince for re-viewing this paper.
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