High detection rate of hepatitis C virus E2 antibody in patients with type C hepatitis.

Putative hepatitis C virus E2 protein was applied for detection of anti-E2 antibody in patients with type C hepatitis. The Putative E2 sequence was expressed in E. coli and approximately 38 KDa hepatitis C E2 protein fused with 42 KDa maltose binding protein was obtained. The HCV E2 antibody was detected in 2 of 7 acute hepatitis cases, in 8 of 12 chronic persistent hepatitis, in 17 of 25 chronic active hepatitis, and in 2 of 4 cirrhosis. It was not detected in 10 normal subjects. Anti-E2 antibody became undetectable after successful interferon treatment in patients with type C hepatitis. The High detection rate of E2 antibody in chronic hepatitis C and disappearance of the antibody after the interferon treatment indicate that the E2 antibody is related to viral replication and is unlikely to be a neutralizing antibody.