N. Yuki et al., CHANGES IN ANTIBODIES TO SPECIFIC HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-ANTIGENS WITH INTERFERON-ALPHA THERAPY - ANALYSIS BY RECOMBINANT IMMUNOBLOT ASSAY, The American journal of gastroenterology, 88(6), 1993, pp. 914-924
Antibodies to hepatitis C virus NS3 (C33C), NS4 (5-1-1 and C100-3), an
d core (C22-3) proteins were tested for by a second-generation recombi
nant immunoblot assay of serum samples from 42 chronic hepatitis C pat
ients treated with interferon-a. Antibodies to 5-1-1 and C100-3 were f
ound in 83% (35/42) before therapy, and those to C22-3 and C33C in all
patients. At 6 months after therapy withdrawal in patients with susta
ined virus clearance, only antibodies to 5-1-1 and C100-3 showed signi
ficant decreases (p < 0.05) (5/5 and 7/7, respectively). Antibodies to
C22-3 and C33C decreased less frequently in only 11% (1/9) (p < 0.01)
and 44% (4/9) (p < 0.05), respectively. Thus, antibodies to 5-1-1 and
C100-3 are prone to decrease following a decline in viremia. The anti
body to the C22-3 (core) protein was least likely to decrease and may
serve as a reliable marker of exposure to the virus.