Abstract
Antibody subclasses directed against the core protein (HCc) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) were measured in 27 patients with acute non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis, and 99 patients with chronic HCV-associated liver disease. IgM, IgA, and IgG anti-HCc responses were observed in 11 (40.7%), 7 (25.9%), and 18 (67%) patients with acute NANB hepatitis, respectively. Twenty-four (24.2%) and 40 (40.4%) patients with chronic HCV infection also had detectable IgM and IgA, respectively. IgM anti-HCc inconsistently detected acute infection, and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) could be detected preceding the rise in anti-HCc antibodies in five consecutive patients with acute hepatitis. IgM anti-HCc also could not distinguish acute from chronic infection and did not correlate with histologic progression. However, the form of IgA present (polymeric vs monomeric) did discriminate acute from chronic infection and the IgA anti-HCc titer correlated with histologic evidence of liver disease in patients with chronic HCV infection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Choo QL, Richman KH, Han JH, Berger K, Lee C, Dong C, Gallegos C, Coit D, Medina-Selby A, Barr PJ, Weiner AJ, Bradley DW, Kuo G, Houghton M: Genetic organization and diversity of the hepatitis C virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:2451–2455, 1991
Nasoff MS, Zebedee SL, Inchauspe G, Prince AM: Identification of an immunodominant epitope within the capsid protein of hepatitis C virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:5462–5466, 1991
Chiba J, Ohba H, Matsuura Y, Watanabe Y, Katayama T, Kikuchi S, Saito I, Miyamura T: Serodiagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with an HCV core protein molecularly expressed by recombinant baculovirus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:4641–4645, 1991
Hosein B, Fang CT, Popvsky MA, Ye J, Zhang M, Wang CY: Improved serodiagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection with synthetic peptide antigen from capsid protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:3647–3651, 1991
Kawano S, Fujiyama S, Sato S, Tanaka M, Goto M, Taura U, Sato T, Kawahara T, Mizuno K, Nonaka S: Clinical evaluation of three anti-HCV ELISAs in patients with various liver diseases. Dig Dis Sci 37:1268–1274, 1992
Fujiyama S, Kawano S, Sato S, Sato T, Kawahara T, Mizuno K, Kusumoto Y: Evaluation of three hepatitis C virus-related antibodies C100, KCL-163, JCC: Tests for screening blood donors. Dig Dis Sci 37:1489–1494, 1992
Taura Y, Fujiyama S, Kawano S, Sato S, Goto M, Chikazawa H, Shibata J, Mizuno K, Sato T: Titration of antibody against Hepatitis C virus core protein and its clinical utility. J Hepatol 18:138–139, 1993
Alter HJ, Purcell RM, Shih JW, Melpolder JC, Houghton M, Choo QL, Kuo G: Detection of antibody to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed transfusion recipients with acute and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. N Engl J Med 321:1494–1500, 1989
Quiroga JA, Campillo ML, Catillo I, Bartolome J, Porres JC, Carreno V: IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus in acute and chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 14:38–43, 1991
Chen PJ, Wang JT, Hwang LH, Yang YH, Hsieh CL, Kao JH, Sheu JC, Lai MY, Wang TH, Chen DS: Transient immunoglobulin M antibody response to hepatitis C virus capsid antigen in posttransfusion hepatitis C: Putative serological marker for acute viral infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89:5971–5975, 1992
Clemens JM, Taskar S, Chau K, Vallari D, Shih JWK, Alter HJ, Schleicher JB, Mimms LT: IgM antibody response in acute hepatitis C viral infection. Blood 79:169–172, 1992
Tomasi TB, Tisdale WA: Serum gamma-globulins in acute and chronic liver diseases. Nature 201:834–835, 1964
Lee FI, Lond MB: Immunoglobulins in viral hepatitis and active alcoholic liver disease. Lancet 21:1043–1046, 1965
Thompson RA, Carter R, Stokes RP, Geddes AM, Goodall JAD: Serum immunoglobulins, complement levels and auto-antibodies in liver disease. Clin Exp Immunol 14:335–346, 1973
Ponzi AN, Merlino C, Angeretti A, Penna R: Virus-specific polymeric immunoglobulin A antibodies in serum from patients with rubella, measles, varicella, and herpes zoster virus infections. J Clin Microbiol 22:505–509, 1985
Tsude K, Fujiyama S, Sato S, Kawano S, Taura Y, Yoshida K, Sato T: Two cases of accidental transmission of hepatitis C to medical staff. Hepato-Gastroenterol 39:73–75, 1992
Groote JD, Desmet VJ, Gedigk P, Korb G, Popper H, Poulsen H, Scheuer PJ, Schmid M, Thaler H, Uehlinger E, Wepler W: A classification of chronic hepatitis. Lancet 2:626–628, 1968
Kawano S, Fujiyama S, Sato S, Tanaka M, Goto M, Taura U, Chikazawa H, Murata H, Takeshita S, Yamasaki Y, Izuno K, Iida S, Sato T: Estimation of JCC ELISA as the assay system for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein. Hell J Gastroenterol 5: (suppl):160, 1992
Inchauspe G, Abe K, Zebedee S, Nasoff M, Prince AM: Use of conserved sequences from hepatitis C virus for the detection of viral RNA in infected sera by polymerase chain reaction. Hepatology 14:595–600, 1991
Omata M, Yokosuka O, Takano S, Kato N, Hosoda K, Imazeki S, Tada M: Resolution of acute hepatitis C after therapy with natural beta-interferon. Lancet 338:914–915, 1991
Lemon SM, Gates NL, Simms TE, Bancroft WH: IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen as a diagnostic parameter of acute infection with hepatitis B virus. J Infect Dis 143:803–809, 1981
Hashida M, Kawana T, Inouye S: Differentiation of primary from nonprimary genital herpesvirus infections by detection of polymeric immunoglobulin A activity. J Clin Microbiol 27:2609–2611, 1989
Brillanti S, Caterina M, Ricci P, Miglioli M, Barbara L: Significance of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 15:998–1001, 1992
Nomura M, Imai M, Tsuda F, Furuta S, Akahane Y, Tachibana K, Usuda S, Miyakawa Y, Mayumi M: Immunoglobulin A antibody against hepatitis B core antigen in the acute and persistent infection with hepatitis B virus. Gastroenterology 89:1109–1113, 1985
Vaerman JP, Andre C, Bazin H, Heremans JP: Mesenteric lymph as a major source of serum IgA in guinea pigs and rats. Eur J Immunol 3:580–584, 1973
Kutteh WH, Prince SJ, Phillips JO, Spenney JG, Mestecky J: Properties of immunoglobulin A in serum of individuals with liver diseases and in hepatic bile. Gastroenterology 82:184–193, 1982
Cuadrado E, Vaerman JF: Existence of true IgA polymers in normal human serum.In Peptides of Biological Fluids, 25th Colloquim. H Peeters (ed). Oxford, Pergamon Press, 1977, pp 915–918
Radl J, Schuit HRE, Mestecky J, Hijmans W: The origin of monomeric and polymeric forms of IgA in man. Adv Exp Med Biol 107:57–65, 1978
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sato, S., Fujiyama, S., Tanaka, M. et al. IgM and IgA antibodies generated against hepatitis C virus core antigen in patients with acute and chronic HCV infection. Digest Dis Sci 39, 2022–2031 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088141
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088141