Viral Hepatitis
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 7, 2005; 11(41): 6440-6444
Published online Nov 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i41.6440
Expression and immunoreactivity of HCV/HBV epitopes
Xin-Yu Xiong, Xiao Liu, Yuan-Ding Chen
Xin-Yu Xiong, Xiao Liu, Yuan-Ding Chen, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Yunnan Province Natural Science Foundation, No. 2003C0076M
Correspondence to: Professor Yuan-Ding Chen, The key Laboratory, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming 650118, Yunnan Province, China. chenyd@imbcams.com.cn
Telephone: +86-871-8334689 Fax: +86-871-8334483
Received: March 31, 2005
Revised: April 26, 2005
Accepted: April 30, 2005
Published online: November 7, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To develop the epitope-based vaccines to prevent Hepatitis C virus (HCV) / Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.

METHODS: The HCV core epitopes C1 STNPKPQRKTKRNTNRRPQD (residuals aa2-21) and C2 VKFPGGGQIVGGVYLLPRR (residuals aa22-40), envelope epitope E GHRMAWDMMMNWSP (residuals aa315-328) and HBsAg epitope S CTTPAQGNSMFPSCCCTKPTDGNC (residuals aa124-147) were displayed in five different sites of the flock house virus capsid protein as a vector, and expressed in E. coli cells (pET-3 system). Immunoreactivity of the epitopes with anti-HCV and anti-HBV antibodies in the serum from hepatitis C and hepatitis B patients were determined.

RESULTS: The expressed chimeric protein carrying the HCV epitopes C1, C2, E (two times), L3C1-I2E-L1C2-L2E could react with anti-HCV antibodies. The expressed chimeric protein carrying the HBV epitopes S, I3S could react with anti-HBs antibodies. The expressed chimeric proteins carrying the HCV epitopes C1, C2, E plus HBV epitope S, L3C1-I2E-L1C2-L2E-I3S could react with anti-HCV and anti-HBs antibodies.

CONCLUSION: These epitopes have highly specific and sensitive immunoreaction and are useful in the development of epitope-based vaccines.

Keywords: HCV; HBV; Epitope-based vaccine; Recombinant; Immunoreactivity