Human hepatitis delta antigen is a nuclear phosphoprotein with RNA-binding activity.

The genetic origin, structure, and biochemical properties of the delta antigen (HDAg) of a human hepatitis delta virus (HDV) were investigated. A cDNA fragment containing the open reading frame encoding the HDAg was transcribed into RNA and used for in vitro translation in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The HDAg open reading frame was also inserted into an expression vector containing a simian virus 40 T-antigen promoter and expressed into COS 7 cells. In both systems, a protein species of 26 kilodaltons was synthesized from this open reading frame and could be specifically immunoprecipitated with antisera obtained from patients with delta hepatitis. A similar protein was also synthesized from antigenomic-sense monomeric HDV RNA in both systems, although the efficiency of translation was lower than that of the isolated open reading frame. This protein was found to be phosphorylated at the serine residues. Immunoperoxidase studies with anti-HDV sera demonstrated that the HDAg was expressed mainly in the nuclei of the transfected COS 7 cells. Moreover, the HDAg was shown to bind the genomic RNA of HDV. These studies indicate that HDAg is encoded by the antigenomic-sense RNA of HDV and is a nuclear phosphoprotein associated with an RNA-binding activity.     

Hepatitis delta virus: protein composition of delta antigen and its hepatitis B virus-derived envelope.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV)-associated particles were purified from the serum of an experimentally infected chimpanzee by size chromatography and by density centrifugation. Hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) was detected after mild detergent treatment at a column elution volume corresponding to 36-nm particles and banded at a density of 1.25 g/ml. The serum had an estimated titer of 10(9) to 10(10) HDV-associated particles and had only a 10-fold excess of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) not associated with HDAg. Therefore, HDV appears to be much more efficiently packed and secreted than is its helper virus, hepatitis B virus (HBV), which is usually accompanied by a 1,000-fold excess of HBsAg. The protein compositions of the HDAg-containing particles were analyzed by immunoblotting with HDAg-, HBsAg-, and hepatitis B core antigen-specific antisera and monoclonal antibodies to HBV surface gene products. The HBsAg envelope of HDAg contained approximately 95% P24/GP27s, 5% GP33/36s, and 1% P39/GP42s proteins. This protein composition was more similar to that of the 22-nm particles of HBsAg than to that of complete HBV. The significant amount of GP33/36s suggests that the HBsAg component of the HDV-associated particle carries the albumin receptor. Two proteins of 27 and 29 kilodaltons which specifically bound antibody to HDAg but not HBV-specific antibodies were detected in the interior of the 36-nm particle. Since these proteins were structural components of HDAg and were most likely coded for by HDV, they were designated P27d and P29d.     

中国不同地区和人群HDV cDNA的筛选、克隆及抗原编码区基因异质性的分析

为研究我国不同地区不同人群中ＨＤＶ毒株的感染分子特征,从我国河南、内蒙、北京、四川、广西、西藏、新疆、辽宁、上海等地的ＨＤＶ健康携带者、慢性丁肝病人与重症肝炎病人中筛选获得１０余份ＨＤＶ－ＲＮＡ阳性血清。经逆转录一多聚酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）交叉扩增获得ＨＤＶ抗原编码区的ｃＤＮＡ片段并克隆到ＰＧＥＭ－３Ｚｆ（－）或ＰＧＥＭ－Ｔ载体上,经序列分析研究其基因结构特点,结果表明：中国的ＨＤＶ毒株基因型均为Ⅰ型,但至少存在ⅠＡ、ⅠＢ两个亚型,ＨＤＶ毒株在不同地区间存在异质性,其中河南－１、－２、－３株及新疆株与台湾株同源性较高（核苷酸与氨基酸同源性分别大于９２．１％与８６．９％）．当为ⅠＡ型;内蒙－１、四川、广西、西藏－１、辽宁、北京株与美国－１株同源性较高（核苷酸与氨酸同源性分别大于９４．３％与８８．８％）,当为ⅠＢ亚型;上海株与意大利株的核昔酸同源性最高,为９８．１％。研究证明我国新疆、内蒙、西藏等地区抗ＨＤ阳性率比其他省市高并不是由于存在其他基因型所致。     

Varied immunity generated in mice by DNA vaccines with large and small hepatitis delta antigens

Whether the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) DNA vaccine can induce anti-HDV antibodies has been debatable. The role of the isoprenylated motif of hepatitis delta antigens (HDAg) in the generation of immune responses following DNA-based immunization has never been studied. Plasmids p2577L, encoding large HDAg (L-HDAg), p2577S, expressing small HDAg (S-HDAg), and p25L-211S, encoding a mutant form of L-HDAg with a cysteine-to-serine mutation at codon 211, were constructed in this study. Mice were intramuscularly injected with the plasmids. The anti-HDV antibody titers, T-cell proliferation responses, T-helper responses, and HDV-specific, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing CD8(+) T cells were analyzed. Animals immunized with p2577S showed a strong anti-HDV antibody response. Conversely, only a low titer of anti-HDV antibodies was detected in mice immunized with p2577L. Epitope mapping revealed that the anti-HDV antibodies generated by p2577L vaccination hardly reacted with epitope amino acids 174 to 194, located at the C terminus of S-HDAg. All of the HDAg-encoding plasmids could induce significant T-cell proliferation responses and generate Th1 responses and HDV-specific, IFN-gamma-producing CD8(+) T cells. In conclusion, HDAg-specific antibodies definitely exist following DNA vaccination. The magnitudes of the humoral immune responses generated by L-HDAg- and S-HDAg-encoding DNA vaccines are different. The isoprenylated motif can mask epitope amino acids 174 to 195 of HDAg but does not interfere with cellular immunity following DNA-based immunization. These findings are important for the choice of a candidate HDV DNA vaccine in the future.     

两种甲型肝炎病毒抗原快速检测方法的建立

目的建立两种甲型肝炎病毒抗原(HAV-Ag)检测试剂盒,并对其检测效果进行评价。方法生物素标记甲型肝炎病毒抗体(HAV-Ab)与辣根过氧化物酶标记亲和素联合应用建立甲型肝炎病毒抗原BA-ELISA检测法;同时使用辣根过氧化物酶标记HAV-Ab作放大系统建立双抗体夹心甲型肝炎病毒抗原ELISA检测试剂,对比两种检测方法的特异性、灵敏度及实际应用效果。结果用生物素标记甲型肝炎病毒抗体-辣根过氧化物酶标记亲和素作放大系统建立的甲型肝炎病毒抗原BA-ELISA检测法,较双抗体夹心ELISA检测方法灵敏度高1～2个稀释度;两种检测法均对10余种病毒无交叉,P/N值BA-ELISA检测法较高。结论甲型肝炎病毒抗原BA-ELISA检测法是一种灵敏度高,特异性好,方便快捷的检测方法,可广泛应用于甲型肝炎病毒研究及临床检测中。而甲型肝炎病毒抗原双抗体夹心ELISA检测法,检测灵敏度适中,操作简单,更适用于甲肝疫苗生产检定。     

Functional study of hepatitis delta virus large antigen in packaging and replication inhibition: role of the amino-terminal leucine zipper.

The large hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) has been found to be essential for the assembly of the hepatitis delta virion. Furthermore, in a cotransfection experiment, the large HDAg itself, without the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genome and small HDAg, could be packaged into hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) particles. By deletion analysis, it was shown that the amino-terminal leucine zipper domain was dispensable for packaging. The large HDAg could also help in copackaging of the small HDAg into HBsAg particles without the need for HDV RNA. This process was probably mediated through direct interaction of the two HDAgs as a mutated large HDAg whose leucine zipper domain was deleted such that it could not help in copackaging of the small HDAg. This mutated large HDAg did not suppress HDV replication, suggesting that this effect is probably also via protein interaction. These results indicated that functional domains of the large HDAg responsible for packaging with HBsAg particles and for the trans-negative effect on HDV replication can be separated.     

Synthesis and antigenic activity of peptides of the nucleocapsid protein of the hepatitis delta virus]

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV), a recently discovered infectious agent, participates in severe, often lethal forms of acute and chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. Based on theoretical analysis of secondary structure, hydrophilicity and acrophilicity data, several regions of HDV antigen, presumably containing B-epitopes, have been revealed and the corresponding peptides have been synthesized by the solid phase method. All the peptides obtained reacted with the respective antipeptide rabbit sera. The peptides and their conjugates with BSA or KLH were used for ELISA with individual and pooled anti-HD-positive sera from patients with chronic delta hepatitis. The high antigenicity of the peptide 65-80 shows that one of the antigenically active regions of HDAg is situated between these amino acid residues and that the peptide may be used for detection of anti-HD antibodies in patients blood sera.     

Genetic changes in hepatitis delta virus from acutely and chronically infected woodchucks

A woodchuck-derived hepatitis delta virus (HDV) inoculum was created by transfection of a genotype I HDV cDNA clone directly into the liver of a woodchuck that was chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus. All woodchucks receiving this inoculum became positive for HDV RNA in serum, and 67% became chronically infected, similar to the rate of chronic HDV infection in humans. Analysis of HDV sequences obtained at 73 weeks postinfection indicated that changes had occurred at a rate of 0.5% per year; many of these modifications were consistent with editing by host RNA adenosine deaminase. The appearance of sequence changes, which were not evenly distributed on the genome, was correlated with the course of HDV infection. A limited number of modifications occurred in the consensus sequence of the viral genome that altered the sequence of the hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg). All chronically infected animals examined exhibited these changes 73 weeks following infection, but at earlier times, only one of the HDV carriers exhibited consensus sequence substitutions. On the other hand, sequence modifications in animals that eventually recovered from HDV infection were apparent after 27 weeks. The data are consistent with a model in which HDV sequence changes are selected by host immune responses. Chronic HDV infection in woodchucks may result from a delayed and weak immune response that is limited to a small number of epitopes on HDAg.     

Isoprenylation mediates direct protein-protein interactions between hepatitis large delta antigen and hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

Hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) consists of two protein species of 195 and 214 amino acids, respectively, which are identical in sequence except that the large HDAg has additional 19 amino acids at its C terminus and is prenylated. Previous studies have shown that the large HDAg and the surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) together can form empty hepatitis delta virus (HDV) particles. To understand the molecular mechanism of HDV virion morphogenesis, we investigated the possible direct protein-protein interaction between HDAg and HBsAg. We constructed recombinant baculoviruses expressing the major form of HBsAg and various mutant HDAgs and used these proteins for far-Western protein binding assays. We demonstrated that HBsAg interacted specifically with the large HDAg but not with the small HDAg. Using mutant HDAgs which have defective or aberrant prenylation, we showed that this interaction required isoprenylates on the cysteine residue of the C terminus of the large HDAg. Isoprenylation alone, without the remainder of the C-terminal amino acids of the large HDAg, was insufficient to mediate interaction with HBsAg. This study demonstrates a novel role of prenylates in HDV virion assembly.     

Polyadenylation of the mRNA of hepatitis delta virus is dependent on the structure of the nascent RNA and regulated by the small or large delta antigen.

During the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA replication, synthesis of either the mRNA for the delta antigen (HDAg) or the full-length antigenomic RNA is determined by selective usage of the potent poly(A) signal on the antigenome. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism, HDV cDNA cotransfection system was used to examine the potential effect of the secondary structure of the nascent RNA and that of the HDAg on HDV polyadenylation in transfected cells. We found that when the nascent RNA species could fold itself to form the rodlike structure, the HDV polyadenylation was suppressed 3 to 5 fold by the HDAg. In addition, we observed that the small and the large HDAg exerted a similar suppressive effect on the HDV polyadenylation, though they played different roles in HDV replication. We concluded that the HDV polyadenylation could be regulated by the structure of the nascent antigenomic RNA and by either the small or large HDAg.     

Solution structure and RNA-binding activity of the N-terminal leucine-repeat region of hepatitis delta antigen.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite virus of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which provides the surface antigen for the viral coat. The RNA genome of HDV encodes two proteins: the small delta antigen and the large delta antigen. The two proteins resemble each other except for the presence of an additional 19 amino acids at the C terminus of the latter species. We have found that the N-terminal leucine-repeat region of hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) binds to the autolytic domain of HDV genomic RNA and attenuates its autolytic activity. A 27-residue polypeptide corresponding to residues 24-50 of HDAg, designated dAg(24-50), was synthesized, and its solution structure was found to be an alpha-helix by circular dichroism and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Binding affinity of dAg(24-50) with HDV genomic RNA was found to increase with its alpha-helical content, and it was further confirmed by modifying its N- and C-terminal groups. Furthermore, the absence of RNA binding activity in the mutant peptides, dAgM(24-50am) and dAgM(Ac24-50am), in which Lys38, Lys39, and Lys40 were changed to Glu, indicates a possible involvement of these residues in their binding activity. Structural knowledge of the N-terminal leucine-repeat region of HDAg thus provides a molecular basis for the understanding of its role in the interaction with RNA. Proteins 1999;37:121-129.     

从重症肝炎病人血清分离的丁型肝炎病毒核酶区的克隆与序列分析

从我国一例四川丁型肝炎病毒HDVRNA,丁型肝炎抗原均阳性的重症肝炎患者的血清中,用异硫氰酸胍法提取RNA经过逆转录PCR扩增后获得一长289bp的HDVcDNA片段,将PCR产物回收后直接克隆到PCRTMⅡ质粒,挑出阳性克隆并亚克隆入M13mp19的EcoRⅠ区位点,提取单链进行序列分析,结果显示与已知的中国河南、美国、日本、秘鲁和中国台湾5株HDVcDNA相同片段比较,同源性分别为对97.2％、93％、94％、79％、96％。     

我国25省市自治区丁型肝炎病毒感染的流行病学调查研究

应用本室先后建立的酶联免疫吸附法和核酸打点杂交法,检测我国25省布自治区、16个不同民族共9 758例乙型肝炎病毒感染者中的丁型肝炎病毒抗原、抗体和核酸。其中乙型肝炎病人4 714例,HBsAg慢性携带者5 044例。病人和携带者中丁型肝炎抗原阳性率分别为4.25％和3.0％,丁型肝炎抗体阳性率分别为1.46％和1.18％,丁型肝炎病毒核酸阳住率分别为3.70％和2.2％。在不同地区不同民族丁型肝炎的这些指标有一定差异。在16个民族中,维吾尔族、蒙族和藏族丁型肝炎抗体阳性率明显高于其他民族,黎族丁型肝炎核酸阳性率高于其他民族。但在1136例不同临床型乙型肝炎病人中,丁型肝炎感染率无明显区别。丁型肝炎感染与暴发性肝炎的关系有待进一步研究。     

HCV NS5A基因表达及其在血清学检测中的应用评估

人丙型肝炎病毒 (ＨＣＶ)感染可引起丙型肝炎、肝硬化和肝细胞癌[1] 。丙型肝炎病毒是单股正链ＲＮＡ病毒 ,基因组约长 9.5ｋｂ ,仅有一个开放阅读框 ,编码一个大的聚蛋白前体 ,由宿主蛋白酶和病毒编码的蛋白酶加工成多个成熟蛋白。非结构蛋白ＮＳ5Ａ分子量为 56ｋＤ/ 58ｋＤ。目前对ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白的功能尚不清楚 ,ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白可降低干扰素治疗效果[2 ] ;ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白含核定位序列 ,因此人们推测它在ＨＣＶＲＮＡ复制过程中可能起一定的作用[3～ 4 ] 。本研究在大肠杆菌中表达全长ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白 ,提纯后ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白能与大多数丙肝阳性血清起强烈…     

Immunogenic domains of hepatitis delta virus antigen: peptide mapping of epitopes recognized by human and woodchuck antibodies.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective RNA virus which is dependent on hepatitis B virus for essential helper functions. Only a single highly basic phosphoprotein, HDV antigen (HDAg), is expressed by the HDV genome during infection in humans. Antibody directed to HDAg is important in the diagnosis of HDV infection, and it is likely but not yet proven that the immune response to HDAg provides significant protection against subsequent exposures to HDV. In an effort to map the antigenic domains of HDAg, 209 overlapping hexapeptides, spanning the entire 214 amino acid residues of the protein, were synthesized on polyethylene pins and probed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with sera containing high titers of anti-HD antibodies. Domains recognized by antibodies present in serum from human chronic carriers of this virus included residues 2 to 7, 63 to 74, 86 to 91, 94 to 100, 159 to 172, 174 to 195, and 197 to 207. Antibody from an acutely superinfected woodchuck recognized similar epitopes, as well as a domain spanning residues 121 to 128. Together, residues in these antigenic domains constitute 41% of the HDAg molecule. Oligopeptides 15 to 29 residues in length and representing epitopes of HDAg found to be dominant in humans (residues 2 to 17, 156 to 184, and 197 to 211) were synthesized in bulk and found to possess significant antigenic activity by microdilution enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The reactivity of peptide 197-211 with human sera confirms that the entire 214 amino acids of HDAg are expressed during infection in vivo. In addition, these results suggest that synthetic peptides may be useful reagents for development of new and improved diagnostic tests for HDV infection.     

Functional domains of delta antigens and viral RNA required for RNA packaging of hepatitis delta virus.

The functions of delta antigens (HDAgs) in the morphogenesis of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) have been studied previously. The C terminus of large HDAg has been shown to complex with the small surface antigen (HBsAg) of helper hepatitis B virus, whereas the assembly of small HDAg requires interaction with the N terminus of large HDAg (M.-F. Chang, C.-J. Chen, and S. C. Chang, J. Virol. 68:646-653, 1994). To further examine the molecular mechanisms by which HDAgs are involved in the assembly of HDV RNA, we have cotransfected Huh-7 cells with plasmids representing a longer than unit-length HDV and the small HBsAg cDNAs. We found that HDAg mRNA could be generated from an endogenous promoter within the HDV cDNA that was translated into large HDAg. Large HDAg is capable of complexing with monomeric HDV genomic RNA to form ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs) and is capable of forming enveloped HDV-like particles in the presence of small HBsAg without undergoing HDV replication. In addition, the middle region from amino acid residues 89 to 145 of large HDAg is required for assembly of the RNPs but is dispensable for assembly of the enveloped particles. RNA assembly is also demonstrated with small HDAg when it is cotransfected with a packaging-defective large HDAg mutant and small HBsAg. Leu-115 within the putative helix-loop-helix structure of the small HDAg is important for the replication of HDV but is not essential for RNA assembly, suggesting that conformational requirements of small HDAg for replication and assembly of viral RNA may be different. Further studies indicate that a 312-nucleotide linear HDV RNA from one end of the HDV and structure is sufficient to form RNP complexes competent for assembly of virus-like particles with large HDAg and small HBsAg.