Seipp S, Goeser T, Theilmann L, Kallinowski B
Institute of Zoology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Virus Res. 1998 Aug;56(2):183-9. doi: 10.1016/s0168-1702(98)00071-9.
Although the clinical relevance of GB virus C (GBV-C) is still elusive, this virus has been found with high prevalence in several groups of patients with liver disease. As was shown for hepatitis C virus (HCV), minus-strand RNA is supposed to function as a replicative intermediate. We have established a reliable and sensitive detection system for GBV-C minus-strand RNA based on nested RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) with a tagged primer system. Sensitivity and specificity was extensively tested using in-vitro transcribed GBV-C sequences and genomic viral RNA. Specificity of the amplified fragments was proven by Southern blot hybridization. Using this detection system, we found the presence of GBV-C minus-strand RNA in 6/41 (14.6%) sera of GBV-C infected or GBV-C/HCV coinfected patients. No correlation with virological parameters such as amount of GBV-C plus-strand RNA, genotype or titer of HCV could be detected.
尽管GB病毒C（GBV-C）的临床相关性仍不明确，但在几组肝病患者中已发现该病毒的高流行率。正如丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）所示，负链RNA被认为起着复制中间体的作用。我们基于带有标记引物系统的巢式RT-PCR（逆转录-聚合酶链反应）建立了一种可靠且灵敏的GBV-C负链RNA检测系统。使用体外转录的GBV-C序列和基因组病毒RNA对灵敏度和特异性进行了广泛测试。通过Southern印迹杂交证实了扩增片段的特异性。使用该检测系统，我们在GBV-C感染或GBV-C/HCV合并感染患者的6/41（14.6%）份血清中发现了GBV-C负链RNA。未检测到与病毒学参数如GBV-C正链RNA量、HCV基因型或滴度之间的相关性。
