Analysis of hepatitis B virus-immunoglobulin isotype complexes by a novel immuno-capture polymerase chain reaction method

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be present in the circulating blood either as free virus or as a virion-immunoglobulin (Ig) complex. Presently, it remains unclear what specific role each Ig plays in the clearance of HBV. In this study, a novel method that combined immuno-capture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was used for detecting and distinguishing different HBV-Ig complexes. Three isotypes of Ig (IgM, IgG and IgA) bound to HBV were detected in the four clinically defined stages of HBV infection in 108 patients. The results showed that all the three isotypes of Ig could bind to HBV, and the patterns of HBV-Ig complexes varied according to disease categories. Interestingly, the frequency of HBV DNA-Ig complexes in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients was significantly lower than that in HBeAg-negative patients. All the data suggest that the three isotypes of HBV DNA-Ig circulating immune complex (CIC) may have different biological meanings. In summary, HBV bound to an antibody is a common feature of hepatitis B, and immuno-capture PCR is a valuable method for the analysis of the composition of the immune complexes. The detection of HBV-Ig complexes may provide new and valuable insights into HBV pathogenesis.