Identification of additional antigenic sites on Dane particles and the tubular forms of hepatitis B surface antigen.

Additional antigenic sites, distinct from those present on spherical 20 nm diam. particles of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), are exposed on the surface of Dane particles and tubular forms of HBsAg. The immunological relationship of these sites to e-antigen, an antigen detected earlier in HBsAg-positive sera from patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or acute hepatitis but not in healthy HBsAg-carriers, was established by immune electron microscopy and affinity chromatography. These findings suggest that e-antigen may be potentially useful in active immunization against hepatitis B.