EPITOPE MAPPING OF ANTIBODIES DIRECTED AGAINST HYPERVARIABLE REGION-1IN ACUTE SELF-LIMITING AND CHRONIC INFECTIONS DUE TO HEPATITIS-C VIRUS

Epitopes of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) were mapped by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using follow-up sera of patients, all of whom wer e infected with the same isolate of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Our resul ts suggest that (i) an early appearance (up to month 13 postinfection) of antibodies directed to the N terminus of HVR1 is associated with a cute self-limiting infections of HCV and (ii) isolate-independent anti bodies which are mainly directed to the C terminus of HVR1 seem to per sist in chronically infected patients. The relevance of HVR1-specific antibodies for neutralization was evaluated by characterization of a r abbit serum.