Delta hepatitis agent: structural and antigenic properties of the delta-associated particle.

AUTOR(ES)

Bonino, F

RESUMO

Delta agent (delta) was serially passaged to a second and third hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier chimpanzee, using as inoculum the peak delta antigen (delta Ag) serum of an animal previously infected with human serum. The characteristics of serially transmitted delta Ag were similar to those described in first-passage animals. It was consistently detected before the development of anti-delta, in association with a 35- to 37-nm subpopulation of HBsAg particles and a unique low-molecular-weight (5.5 X 10(5)) RNA. RNase susceptibility of the delta-associated RNA and release of delta Ag activity upon treatment of delta-associated particles with detergent revealed that this particle is organized into a virion-like form with the RNA and delta Ag as internal components within a coat of HBsAg. Surface determinants of the delta-associated particle other than HBsAg were not detected by radioimmunoprecipitation experiments, using sera of humans and chimpanzees convalescent from delta hepatitis. The HBsAg-associated particle is the "candidate agent" of delta hepatitis.

Documentos Relacionados

• Multiple sclerosis-associated agent: transmission to animals and some properties of the agent.
• delta Agent: association of delta antigen with hepatitis B surface antigen and RNA in serum of delta-infected chimpanzees.
• Multiple sclerosis-associated agent: neutralization of the agent by human sera.
• Structural features of a phased nucleosome core particle.
• Transmission of the hepatitis B virus-associated delta agent to the eastern woodchuck.