Virus-associated receptors for polymerized human serum albumin (RpHSA) in patients with chronic active hepatitis B treated with recombinant leukocyte A interferon.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-associated receptors for polymerized human serum albumin (RpHSA) are assumed to mediate viral attachment to hepatocytes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. RpHSA was found to be coded by the pre-S region of HBV genome. Recently, the antiviral effect of recombinant leukocyte alpha-interferon was shown in patients with hepatitis B. Our study evaluated the detection and the clinical implications of RpHSA in patients with chronic active hepatitis B under treatment with recombinant alpha-interferon. Two out of nine patients eliminated all HBV markers including RpHSA. Four out of nine patients became negative for markers of viral replication but remained positive for HBsAg and in part for RpHSA. In three out of nine patients HBV markers including RpHSA remained unchanged. In summary, the titer for RpHSA is a reliable indirect marker for infectivity and of prognostic value in patients with chronic active hepatitis B during interferon treatment. Future studies should evaluate a putative immune response to RpHSA-containing viral surface proteins, which could be relevant for viral clearance in HBV infection.