EFFECT OF PRE-S1 ANTIGEN ON HUMAN LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSES

The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients acutely i nfected with HBV and recovered completely (n = 20), patients with chro nic hepatitis B infection-(CHB)(n = 10) and HBsAg-positive carriers (n = 9) and healthy individuals (n = 8) were studied for their in vitro proliferative response to a synthetic Pre-S1(20-49)x4 antigen. PBMCs f rom convalescents showed significant proliferative response in the pre sence of synthetic Pre-S1 antigen, PBMCs from CHB- and HBsAg-positive exhibited reduced proliferative response not only to Pre-S1 antigen bu t also to nonspecific mitogens. This study suggests that the immune re cognition of Pre-S1 antigen and response of PBMCs to the Pre-S1 antige n may be an important part of the normal human response to HBV infecti on, Failure to clear the HBV infection with development of the chronic carrier state may be caused by the lack of an efficient pre-S1 antige n-specific response.