• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 1990

The preS2 wequence of an adr hepatitis B virus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a $\beta$-galactosidase fusion polypeptide. Recombinant preS2 product interacted with the preS2-specific monoclonal antibody H8 which was induced by surface antigen particles isolated from a Korean gepatitis patient. The H8 showed only a minor cross-reactivity with recombinant preS2 product of adw2 subtype. Determination of nucleotide sequence of the adr preS2 revealed that twelve amino acid residue substitutions between adr and adw2 subtype sequences. The antigenic determinant to H8 must include some of these differences.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.823-828
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• 2000

The complete nucleotide sequence of hepatitis B virus DNA isolated from Korean patient serum was determined and characterized, and its phylogenetic relation was then investigated. The viral genome was 3,215 base pairs long and included four well known open reading frames (i.e. surface antigens, core antigens, X protein and DNA polymerase). The sequence of the surface antigen showed that the HBV genome under investigation, designated HBV 315, was characteristic of subtype adr. A phylogenetic analysis using the total genome sequence revealed that HBV315 was grouped into genomic group C together with isolates from Japan, China, Thailand, Polynesia, and New Caledonia. The mean percent similarity between HBV315 and other HBV isolates in genomic group C was 97.25%, and that with other genomic groups ranged from 86.16% to 91.25%. The predicted amino acid sequences of HBV315 were compared with two closely related subtype adr isolates, M38636 and D12980. The results showed that the X gene product was identical in the three strains, while there were significant amino acid sequence differences between HBV315 and M38636 in the Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 regions.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1002-1008
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• 2007

PreS domain of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen is a good candidate for an effective vaccine as it activates both B and T cells besides binding to hepatocytes. This report deals with overexpression and purification of adr subtype of surface antigen that is more prevalent in Pakistan. PreS region, comprising 119 aa preS1 region plus a 55 aa preS2 region plus 11 aa from the N-terminal S region, was inserted in pET21a+ vector, cloned in E. coli $DH5\alpha$ cells and expressed in E. coli BL21 codon+ cells. The conditions for over expression were optimized using different concentrations of IPTG (0.01-5 mM), and incubating the cells at different temperatures (23-$41^{\circ}C$) for different durations (0-6 h). The cells were grown under the given optimized conditions (0.5 mM IPTG concentration at $37^{\circ}C$ for 4 h), lysed by sonication and the protein was purified by ion exchange chromatography. On the average, 24.5 mg of recombinant protein was purified per liter of culture. The purified protein was later lyophilized and stored at $-80^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.272-278
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• 1996

Four subtypes of hepatitis B surface antigen are useful in the epidemiologic studies of the route of virus transmission and clinical significance of simultaneous occurance of hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen in the same serum as well as useful marker for population migration. The sera were obtained from 214 HBs Ag positive patients who are diagnosed as chronic liver disease and following up in the Yeungnam university hospital. The subtypes were determined by solid-phase sandwich EIA using monoclonal antibodies. Among 214 specimens, the subtype adr was 93.9%, adw was 2.8%, ayr was 0.9%, ar was 0.9%, adwr was 1.4% and ayw was not detected. There were no correlation between subtype pattern and disease. In summary, the subtype adr was prominent in our study and the difference of subtype pattern by severity of disease was not significant. However, to determine the prognostic value of HBs Ag subtype and relationship between subtype and disease progression, long-term follow up will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1990

A DNA sequence encoding the adr subtype preS2 region of hepatitis B virus envelope protein was fused to 5' end of lacZ gene yielding a plasmid pTSZ, in order to produce a preS2-$\beta$-galactosidase fusion protein. Serial deletions from 3' and 5' end of preS2 were constructed in plasmids, which were expressed and their antigenicities were examined with the monoclonal antibody H8. Deletions from amino and carboxy terminal to certain points did not affect the antigenicity, but the longer deletions destroyed the antigenicity. End points of deleted preS2 sequence were determined by DNA sequencing. As a result, each end of preS2 epitope was located in the region of amino acid residue 130-132 and 140-142, respectively. Residue 143 may be supplementary for antigenic epitope since the deletion from carboxy terminal to residue 143 revealed partial defect of antigenicity. In the interval of antigenic epitope the amino acid differences between adr and adw2 subtype occurred ar residue 130, 132, and 141. This result indicated that one or more of the three residues are responsible for the binding specificity of monoclonal antibody H8 to adr subtype preS2 fusion protein.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.121-125
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• 2011

Purpose: The DNA-type virus HBV, discovered by D. Dane and others in 1976, is approximately 42nm big and known as the main cause of liver-related diseases around the world. HBsAg has 4 kinds of subtypes including adw, adr, ayw and ayr and besides common antigen factor a, there are d, y, r, w. From the methods of serologically testing HBV, IRMA, EIA and CLIa were developed for testing HBsAg and are being used in examining the surface antigen of HBV. In this study, among the methods for testing HBV, the recently developed RIAKEY Ultrasensitive HBsAg IRMA kit's sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms were measured and compared with CLIA. Materials and methods: Two certified reference materials, which are WHO 1st International Standard 1985(80/549) and WHO 2nd International Standard 2003(00/588. subtype adw2, genotypeA), were used in the examination and the sensitivity level was measured by diluting these materials from 0.08 IU/ml to 0.005 IU/ml. The materials for examining the detection of mutant forms included 9 kinds of subtype 'ad' and one kind of subtype 'ay' purchased from DSI company. Also, with the use of positive and negative samples, they was compared with CLIA. Result: Ultrasensitive HBsAg kit based on IRMA method showed the detection of up to 0.01 IU/ml not only for WHO 1st International Standard 1985(80/549) but also for WHO 2nd International Standard 2003(00/588. subtype adw2, genotypeA) and the sensitivity level was measured as 0.01 IU/ml by WHO standard. In testing the performance for detection of mutant forms, the 9 kinds of subtype 'ad' and one kind of subtype 'ay' mutant materials were detected, demonstrating the capacity of detecting various types of mutant forms. Conclusions: With the clinical importance of sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms increasing in the field of HBsAg diagnosis, the examination of IRMA's effectiveness using RIA method in the aspects of the sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms was carried out and its result is as follows. The sensitivity level was measured as 0.01 IU/ml by WHO standard and it was possible to measure various types of mutant forms with high sensitivity. Thus it is suggested that more speedy and accurate reports could be produced from a nuclear medicine laboratory for clinical practitioners requiring results of various situations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.178-178
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• 1996

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the serious problems in Southeast Asia including Korea because it causes chronic hepatitis, which can easily be transformed In fatal conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatoma. Even though lots of informations on structural characteristics and gene expression mechanisms have been accumulated, the mechanism for HBV-induced hepatocellular injury which is believed to be the consequences of the immunological response is not well understood. In order tn perform immunopathological studies for prevention and treatment of HBV infection, we designed transgenic mice as a disease model which can mimic HBV infection, In this study, a promoter-HBV DNA fragment for the preparation of HBV transgenic mice has been constructed. To add a proper enzyme site on 5' end of HBV gene, total HBV (subtype adr) gene was inserted into BamHI site of pBluescript SK vector and reextracted by PstI-SacI treatment A liver-specific promoter, rat ${\alpha}$ 2u globulin gene promoter, was insrted to pBluescript SK vector and reextracted by BamHI-PstI treatment, Promoter-HBV DNA was constructed by ligation of two fragments using identical PstI sites. For large scale production of promoter-HBV DNA, it was inserted to BamHI-SacI site of pBluescript SK vector.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.323-333
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• 2000

Objectives : Chronic HBsAg carriers are the principal source of infection for other susceptible people, and are themselves at high risk of developing serious liver diseases. In Korea, it has been estimated that 65-75% of the HBsAg positives remained as persistent carriers. Additionally, familial clustering of MBV infection has frequently been observed among carriers. Some would become progressive, chronic hepatitis patients, and others would not. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between various factors, such as the duration of infection, type of virus, mutation of precore/core region in HBV, major histocompatibility class-I, and developing chronic liver diseases among familial HBV carriers. Methods : Chronic carrier status was identified by repeated serological tests for HBsAg at intervals of six months or more. A familial chronic carrier was defined when the disease was observed in a family member over two generations. Two families were recruited, among which a total of 20 chronic HBsAg carriers(11 carriers in No.1, and 9 in No.2 family) were identified. Data on the general characteristics and liver disease status were collected. Identification of the HBV-DNA was successful only for 13 subjects among the 20 carriers. Analysis of viral DNA in terms of subtype, pre-core and core region mutations was carried out. The type of major histocompatibility class-1 for the 13 subjects was also analysed. Results & Conclusions : Seven of 10 chronic HBV carriers of the 1st generation and one of 10 of the 2nd generation were clinical patients with chronic hepatitis, the others, three of the 1 st and nine of the 2nd generation, were asymptomatic carriers. This data indicates that the duration of HBV carriage is one of the major factors for disease severity. The subtype of HBsAg analysed using MBV-DNA identified in 13 carriers were adr, and the pattern of precore nonsense mutation in HBV-DNA was identical among family members, which meads that the same virus strains were transmitted between the family members. The association between the precore or core mutations in HBV-DNA and the disease severity was not observed. While it was suggested that a specific type of MHC class-I may be related to disease progression.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 1990

The coding sequence of hepatitis B viral core antigen (HBcAg) (subtype adr) contains two in-phase initiation codons, one for precore and the other for core antigen gene. To study the expression of core antigen and the role of precore region, the coding sequence of HBcAg with or without precore (pre-C) region were subcloned into yeast expression vector containing phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) promoter. To study the role of upstream region in the expression of the core antigen, a series of 5' deletion mutants were also subcloned into the vector. After transformation into various host strains, the expression of HBcAg were analysed by radio-immunoassat. Under optimal condition of core antigen gene expression in yeast, the highest amount of antigen was detected in the cell line SHY4 containing pGKHBc plasmid composed of the yeast PGK gene promoter, terminator and C-gene. Regardless of the presence of precore region, core antigen was not detected in the medium but in cell extract. These results suggest that precore region cannot affect the secretion of core antigen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.