Anti-HBs characteristics after hepatitis B immunisation with plasma-derived and recombinant DNA-derived vaccines

Hepatitis B surface antigen derived from chronic hepatitis B carriers has b een replaced almost completely by recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg for use as hepatitis B vaccine. Similarly, recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg is replacing plasma-derived HBsAg in standard anti-HBs assays. We analysed the influence of a change from plasma-derived HBsAg to recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg on antigen presentation in immunoassays and the characteristics of the anti-HB s antibodies after immunisation. Antigens and/or antibodies were subjected to three types of experiments: (a) binding of 'a'-loop specific monoclonal (anti-S) antibody conjugates to immobilised vaccine-HBsAg; (b) binding of p ost-vaccination anti-HBs to immobilised (vaccine-)HBsAg and (c) inhibition of HBsAg binding to immobilised monoclonal anti-HBs after pre-incubation wi th post-vaccination antibodies. Our results show that, in both antigen pres entation and anti-HBs binding properties, yeast recombinant HBsAg and relat ed antibodies could be clearly distinguished from plasma-derived HBsAg and related antibodies. Divergent results were also obtained in the inhibition assay with recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg but not with serum HBsAg from the vaccine HBsAg subtype. It is concluded that both antigen presentation in va ccines and in anti-HBs assays can markedly influence the quantitation anti- HBs response. It is suggested that a challenge with an heterologous hepatit is B virus may encounter reduced efficacy of vaccine antibodies. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.