Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived HBsAg preparations differ in their attachment to monocytes, immune-suppressive potential, and T-cell immunogenicity

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http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/104536727/START

Online ISSN: 1096-9071 Print ISSN: 0146-6615
Journal of Medical Virology
Volume 70, Issue 4, 2003. Pages: 513-519

Published Online: 2 Jun 2003

Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived HBsAg preparations differ in their attachment to monocytes, immune-suppressive potential, and T-cell immunogenicity

Peter Vanlandschoot^{1 *}, Freya Van Houtte¹, Frans Hoek², Rienk Nieuwland², Geert Leroux-Roels¹

¹Center for Vaccinology, Department of Clinical Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
²Department of Clinical Chemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

email: Peter Vanlandschoot (peter.vanlandschoot@rug.ac.be)

^*Correspondence to Peter Vanlandschoot, Center for Vaccinology, Department of Clinical Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Keywords

rHBsAg • CD14 • lipopolysaccharide binding protein • phospholipid • lipopolysaccharide

Abstract

Expression of the hepatitis B virus S protein results in the formation of a lipoprotein particle, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Such particles, produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bind to the cell surface of monocytes through interaction with the lipopolysaccharide binding protein and the lipopolysaccharide receptor, CD14. This attachment is suggested to depend on the presence of charged phospholipids in the particles. In addition, such particles interfere with the lipopolysaccharide and interleukin-2-induced activation of monocytes. In the present study, it is reported that of three Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived HBsAg preparations, two have a reduced capacity to bind to monocytes. A correlation with a reduced potential to inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of monocytes and an increased potential to stimulate HBsAg-specific T-cell proliferation is observed. Surprisingly, differences in phospholipid content that might explain these observations, were not detected. J. Med. Virol. 70:513-519, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Accepted: 20 February 2003

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