Ou-Yang P.BOR-LUEN CHIANGHwang L.-H.Chen Y.-G.PEI-MING YANGChi W.-K.PEI-JER CHENDING-SHINN CHEN2021-04-222021-04-2219990146-6615https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84984567059&doi=10.1002%2f%28SICI%291096-9071%28199904%2957%3a4%3c345%3a%3aAID-JMV3%3e3.0.CO%3b2-N&partnerID=40&md5=c8c127eebc52e5b421b9b3afc676d39ehttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/557537The nonstructural (NS3) region protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) possesses major B-cell epitopes that induce antibodies after infection. To elucidate further the characteristics of these B cells and their role in the immune regulation of HCV infection, T9 (portion of NS3 region, amino acids [a.a.] 1188-1493)-specific monoclonal antibodies were derived and mapped for B-cell antigenic determinants with recombinant proteins. A total of 10 T9- specific hybridomas were generated and tested for B-cell antigenic determinants. To analyze the B-cell antigenic determinants, eight recombinant proteins including NS3-e (a.a. 1175-1334), NS3-a' (a.a. 1175-1250), NS3-a (a.a. 1251-1334), NS3-b (a.a. 1323-1412), NS3-c (a.a. 1407-1499), NS3-a/b (a.a. 1251-1412), NS3-bc (a.a. 1323-1499), and NS3-abc (a.a. 1251-1499) encoded by NS3-region internal clones were expressed and tested for immunoblotting. The data suggested IgG hybridomas recognized NS3-a, NS3-a', or NS3-b protein by immunoblotting. By contrast, the NS3-e protein bears the major antigenic determinant recognized by human sera. Half of the hybridomas were found to react with protein NS3-a', which is not a major B-cell antigenic determinant in humans. These data suggested that conformational epitopes in vivo may be important for B-cell recognition.[SDGs]SDG3B lymphocyte antigen; epitope; immunoglobulin G; monoclonal antibody; recombinant protein; virus protein; antigen recognition; article; controlled study; Hepatitis C virus; human; human cell; hybridoma; immunoblotting; immunoregulation; peptide mapping; Hepatitis C virus; RNA virusesjournal article10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(199904)57:4<345100890442-s2.0-84984567059