Differentiating the cellular and humoral components of neuromuscular blocking agent-induced anaphylactic reactions in patients undergoing anaesthesia.

Background: The significance of IgE antibodies to neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA)-induced anaphylactic reactions during anaesthesia is unclear. We investigated the relevance of IgE to rocuronium using an in vitro technique.

Methods: Serum samples from 61 patients with anaphylactic reactions during anaesthesia were investigated.

Fine-mapping of the B-cell epitope domain at the N-terminus of the preS2 region of the hepatitis B surface antigen.

In this study, we report the exact localization and substitutional characterization of a B-cell epitope domain at the N-terminus of the preS2 region of the hepatitis B surface antigen. A set of deletion variants containing preS2 sequences of different length was generated on the basis of frCP as a carrier. It was found after Western blot analysis that three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) (2-11B1, 3-11C2, HB.

Anti-HBs after hepatitis B immunization with plasma-derived and recombinant DNA-derived vaccines: binding to mutant HBsAg.

The G145R mutant of the small S-protein is a major escape mutant of hepatitis B virus observed in natural infection, after immunization and HBIG therapy. In a previous study we found that plasma-derived and recombinant DNA-derived vaccine HBsAg reacted differently with monoclonal antibodies sensitive for the G145R change. In the present study we investigated the binding of polyclonal anti-HBs obtained after immunization with plasma vaccine and recombinant DNA vaccine to synthetic peptides (adw(2), adr) and rHBsAg (HepG2) (ayw(3); wild type and a 145R mutant).

Vaccine- and hepatitis B immune globulin-induced escape mutations of hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) vaccination has been shown to be effective in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The protection is based on the induction of anti-HBs antibodies against a major cluster of antigenic epitopes of HBsAg, defined as the 'a' determinant region of small HBsAg. Prophylaxis of recurrent HBV infection in patients who have undergone liver transplantation for hepatitis B-related end-stage liver disease is achieved by the administration of hepatitis B immune globulins (HBIg) derived from HBsAg-vaccinated subjects.

Anti-HBs characteristics after hepatitis B immunisation with plasma-derived and recombinant DNA-derived vaccines.

Hepatitis B surface antigen derived from chronic hepatitis B carriers has been replaced almost completely by recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg for use as hepatitis B vaccine. Similarly, recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg is replacing plasma-derived HBsAg in standard anti-HBs assays. We analysed the influence of a change from plasma-derived HBsAg to recombinant DNA-derived HBsAg on antigen presentation in immunoassays and the characteristics of the anti-HBs antibodies after immunisation.