ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS

T细胞和B细胞对HCV的免疫应答正在研究中。 以前，我们开发并表征了人单特异性抗体， HCV核心抗原。 我们现在已经分离并绘制了类似的抗体， 结构糖蛋白E1和E2。 与Hsu合作， 格林伯格，我们有鼠单克隆抗体核心，E1和E2。 这些 制备了针对重组杆状病毒表达蛋白的抗体， 已经被证明能与原生病毒结合 抗大肠杆菌抗体 已显示与HCV结合，因此首次证明E2是 实际上是一种结构蛋白。 T细胞研究仍在继续， 以鉴定细胞毒性T细胞和辅助性T细胞表位。 我们 研究慢性HCV感染患者的增殖反应 重组痘苗病毒表达的不同HCV蛋白抗原。 我们正在构建一套新的真核表达克隆， 病毒表达系统。 这些将是非常有价值的。 用于评价来自患者的T细胞系的试剂和实验性试剂 免疫黑猩猩。

Both T cell and B cell immune responses to HCV are being investigated. Previously we developed and characterized human monospecific antibodies to the HCV core antigen. We have now isolated and mapped similar antibodies t the structural glycoproteins E1 and E2. In collaboration with Hsu and Greenberg, we have mouse monoclonal antibodies to core, E1 and E2. These antibodies were made against recombinant baculovirus expressed proteins but have been shown to bind to the native virus itself. The antibody against E has been shown to bind HCV and thus is the first demonstration that E2 is actually a structural protein. T cell studies are continuing in an effort to identify both cytotoxic T cell and helper T cell epitopes. We are studying the proliferative response of patients with chronic HCV infections to different HCV protein antigens expressed by recombinant vaccinia virus. We are constructing a new set of eukaryotic expression clones in a sindbis virus expression system developed by Rice. These will be extremely valuabl reagents for evaluating T cell lines from patients and experimentally immunized chimpanzees.