A new anti-HCV EIA based on recombinant antigens derived from different sequence variants of hepatitis C virus

Abstract number: 1134_01_295

Ulanova T., Puzyrev V., Kulikova L., Bochkova G., Golubeva I., Obriadina A., Burkov A.

Objective:  

The purpose of this study is the development of a new anti-HCV EIA by using recombinant antigens derived from different sequence variants of different HCV virus genotypes.

Methods:  

The 9 sequence variants of recombinant antigens comprising major epitopes from core, NS3, NS4 and NS5 HCV proteins have been selected for the anti-HCV assay development. This new EIA was evaluated using serum specimens (n =511) obtained from patients infected with different HCV genotypes from different parts of the world. The HCV status of these specimens was confirmed using RIBA HCV 3.0 (ORTHO Diagnostic Systems Inc., USA), and Cobas Amplicor HCV Test, v.2.0 (Roche Diagnostics, USA). 376 samples were confirmed as anti-HCV positive, 57 samples were tested anti-HCV ‘Indeterminate’, and 78 sera were tested anti-HCV negative. Among anti-HCV RIBA negative specimens 3 samples were HCV RNA positive. Additionally, anti-HCV Mixed Titer performance Panel PHV 205, anti-HCV Low Titer Performance Panel PHV 103 (BBI Inc., USA) and 15 anti-HCV seroconversion panels (BioClnical Partners, Inc., USA) were tested. The anti-HCV negative panel was composed of 200 specimens (BBI Inc., USA).

Results:  

New EIA detected anti-HCV activity in 100% of specimens tested anti-HCV positive or/and anti-HCV indeterminate by RIBA HCV 3.0 and HCV RNA positive. 92% of RIBA ‘indeterminate" samples were immunoreactive with more than one antigen used for the development of the new anti-HCV EIA. Moreover, three anti-HCV negative but HCV RNA positive samples were immunoreactive with NS3 antigens used in this new EIA. Additionally, the EIA was able to detect seroconversion point earlier in 3 anti-HCV seroconversion panels than commercially available anti-HCV EIA. Two anti-NS4 HCV negative but anti-core, anti-NS3 and anti-NS5 positive specimens from PHV 103 and PHV 205 were found anti-NS4 positive by using the NS4 antigen from the new EIA. None of the used anti-HCV negative specimens were tested as positive with new anti-HCV EIA.

Conclusion:  

A new highly sensitive and specific anti-HCV detection assay was developed using various sequence variants of HCV antigens. This assay may be used for screening sera from patients infected with different HCV genotypes with almost equal efficiencies.