Immunological and biophysical properties of hepatitis B antigen labeled by the chloramine-T and by the lactoperoxidase methods

Characteristics of chemically aggregated IgM in an immunoglobulin class-specific immune complex assay

Immune complexes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of infectious diseases. The predominant immunoglobulin class associated with circulating immune complexes is IgG, although immune complexes containing IgM have been described. The role of IgM immune complexes in disease pathogenesis has been difficult to characterize due to the lack of a reliable in vitro model. Immunoglobulins aggregated with bis-diazotized benzidine (BDB) are known to function as model immune complexes. We have developed an IgM immune complex using BDB-aggregated IgM which can be used as a reference in a conglutinin-based immune complex assay. Using this assay system, humans and chimpanzees with acute hepatitis A were found to have circulating immune complexes that contained IgM as the predominant antibody.

Development of sensitive immunoassays for detection of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen

Three micro solid phase immunoassays (a micro-SPRIA and two ELISA techniques) were developed and tested for the detection of anti-HBs antibodies. Two different crosslinkers (glutaraldehyde and N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate) were used to couple a goat anti-mouse IgG reagent to alkaline phosphatase for use as enzyme-labeled probes in the two ELISA tests. With the latter crosslinker, a defined conjugate with a 1:1 antibody-enzyme molar ratio was obtained. The sensitivities of micro-SPRIA and the two types of ELISA were compared to that of the commercial solid phase radioimmunoassay AUSAB test. All three microtests were significantly more sensitive than the AUSAB test. The ELISA using the glutaraldehyde cross-linked conjugate was 3-5 times less sensitive than micro-SPRIA, while the ELISA using the disulfide-linked conjugate was 2.6-4.0 times more sensitive than micro-SPRIA.

Purification of acute phase anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM and development of an IgM solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the detection of HAV

A simple two-step procedure for the purification of IgM from acute phase hepatitis A infected chimpanzee serum has been developed. The procedure involves the precipitation of the euglobulin fraction with boric acid and the fractionation of the resuspended material on Sephacryl S-300 (Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Piscataway, NJ). The purified IgM was used to develop a solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) in which IgM was used as capture antibody and iodinated IgM was used as a probe. This assay was compared with a conventional IgG-based SPRIA. The IgM-based assay resulted in a superior response (P/N) for the detection of antigen in crude preparations; however, endpoint analyses demonstrated similar sensitivities.

Enzyme potentiated radioimmunoassay (EPRIA): a sensitive third-generation test for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen

A sensitive, specific immunoassay for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is described. The assay combined enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and solid-phase radioimmunoassay and is termed enzyme potentiated radioimmunoassay (EPRIA). HBsAg was quantitated by enzymatic conversion of L[14C]glutamic acid to 14CO2 and gamma-aminobutyric acid by glutamate decarboxylase (GDC) conjugated wih goat anti-HGs IgG. Conjugation of IgG and GDC was by a thiol-disulfide bond exchange reaction after reacting N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP) with each reagent. A positive/negative ratio of 2.2 was established as significant by examination of 40 normal sera negative for HBsAg. This value was the mean cpm plus 3 standard deviations. By an identical statistical analysis of sensitivity, EPRIA was found to be approximately 100-fold more sensitive than Ausria II (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL).

Immunological and biophysical alteration of hepatitis B virus antigens by sodium hypochlorite disinfection

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) was examined as an effective disinfectant in hepatitis laboratories. Concentrations of NaOCl containing 5,600 ppm (5,600 microgram/ml) of available chlorine were found to be effective in destroying the antigenicity of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in virion-rich plasma after an exposure time of 1 min or more. In the treatment of protein-deficient solutions containing HBsAg, smaller concentrations of available chlorine (less than 500 pm) are equally effective. Neither 17-to 25-nm HBsAg particles nor 45-nm virion particles could be detected by electron microscopy after treatment. chemical interaction of protein and NaOCl was confirmed by isoelectrofocusing of 125I-labeled HBsAg. More than 90% of the labeled material was found at pH 3.0 or lower, indicating complete antigen oxidation. Labeled HBsAg was reduced in density from 1.21 g/cm3 in CsCl to approximately 1.07 g/cm3 after treatment with NaOCl. Both hepatitis B core antigen and deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase activity were significantly reduced after interaction with hypochlorite solutions. These results show that NaOCl destroys hepatitis B antigenicity and virus structures and therefore may be utilized as a disinfectant for the virus.

A vaccine prepared from the 22 nm particles of surface hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg)

A method for obtaining a subunit inactivated vaccine preparation from the 22-nm particles of HBsAg is proposed. For inactivation of the residual infectious hepatitis B virus (HBV) the preparations were successively treated with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and nucleases. In addition, thermal denaturation and ultraviolet irradiation of HBV DNA were used. As a control the biologic activity of a reference virus (SV40) was tested after the same treatment. The effectiveness of DNA inactivation was monitored by adding 3H-thymidine labeled reference virus to the vaccine preparations. The purified and inactivated HBsAg was adsorbed on Al2O3. Antigenicity was calculated on the basis of the determination of antibody in guinea pigs immunized with various doses of the vaccine, and the release of 125I- HBsAg from blood and kidneys in immunized and control mice was analyzed. Possible methods of inactivation and control of HBV vaccine is discussed.

Core antigen and circulating anti-core antibody in hepatitis B infection

Core antigen was obtained from the sera of persistent chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus by centrifugation and treatment with Nonidet P40 and 2-mercaptoethanol. The separated core antigen was radiolabelled and identified as a nucleoprotein structure of buoyant density 1.36 g/cm3 and possessing an isoelectric point of 4.4. This material was employed in a radioimmunoassay procedure of high sensitivity for the detection of core antibody. In a series of sera from patients with acute type B hepatitis, core antibody was demonstrated 2 to 3 weeks after the onset of jaundice during the period of surface antigenaemia. The presence of core antibody may therefore provide an accurate serological marker for the detection of active or recent virus replication in future epidemiological studies of hepatitis B infection.