Wienhues U, Ihlenfeldt H G, Seidel C, Schmitt U, Kraas W, Jung G
Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Werk Tutzing, Germany.
Virology. 1998 Jun 5;245(2):281-8. doi: 10.1006/viro.1998.9163.
Mapping and possible diagnostic meaning of a highly conserved, linear NS4 epitope (NS4/3), located outside the C100-3 antigen within the carboxyl terminal proportion of the NS4 region, with major immunoreactivity with specimens of patients with HCV infection from various geographic origins is described. Transient, acute-phase IgM anti-HCV NS4/3 was detected coincidentally or earlier than active IgG anti-HCV NS4/3 response with four well-characterized seroconversion panels. GenBank alignment studies identified patch homologies between the NS4/3 sequence and a number of non-HCV proteins, which may explain part of the cross-reactivity of the NS4/3 epitope. Some of the "false positive reactivities" of the NS4/3 epitope with asymptomatic blood donors, not being confirmed with FDA-approved anti-HCV assays without the NS4/3 epitope, may be explained by recognition of very early seroconversion antibodies.
描述了位于NS4区域羧基末端部分、C100 - 3抗原之外的一个高度保守的线性NS4表位（NS4/3）的图谱及其可能的诊断意义，该表位与来自不同地理区域的丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染患者的标本具有主要免疫反应性。在四个特征明确的血清转化样本组中，检测到急性期短暂性IgM抗HCV NS4/3与活性IgG抗HCV NS4/3反应同时出现或更早出现。GenBank比对研究确定了NS4/3序列与许多非HCV蛋白之间的片段同源性，这可能解释了NS4/3表位交叉反应性的部分原因。NS4/3表位与无症状献血者出现的一些“假阳性反应性”，在没有NS4/3表位的FDA批准的抗HCV检测中未得到证实，可能是由于识别了非常早期的血清转化抗体所致。
