Cell type specific expression of pre S 1 antigen and secretion of hepatitis B virus surface antigen

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Production of the three hepatitis B surface (HBs) proteins was studied in a hepatoma cell line (PLC/PRF/5) and two HBs antigen secreting cell lines (HeLa and mouse L-cells), which had been transfected by a viral genome isolated by molecular cloning from PLC/PRF/5 chromosomal DNA. The DNA used for transfection contains the HBs-specific promoters and the enhancer which regulate the expression of HBs genes in the transfected cell lines. All three cell lines expressed well the small and middle HBs protein, but the larger pre S 1 containing protein was barely detectable in the L-cell. In vivo growth of the transfected HeLa cell as nude mouse tumour increased pre S 1 expression and suppressed secretion of HBsAg.