Detection of pre-S1 proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with HBV infection

The presence of pre-S1 proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from 115 patients with different forms of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was investigated by Western blot. Among 67 chronic HBsAg carriers, HBV antigens were detected in the PBMC in 80% for HBsAg, 27% for HBc/e Ag and 34% for pre-S1 proteins. The detection of pre-S1 proteins in PBMC was significantly associated with the presence of serum markers of HBV replication (HBV DNA and/or DNA polymerase). In the group of 48 consecutive patients negative for serum HBsAg, but positive for anti-HBc with or without anti-HBs, HBsAg and pre-S1 proteins could be detected in PBMC. This finding was more frequent among anti-HIV-positive patients (77 and 23% of the cases, respectively) than in the negative ones (23 and 4% of the cases, respectively). The detection of HBV DNA and polyadenylated RNA in some of the PBMC samples positive for HBV proteins suggests that these proteins may be expressed in PBMC, especially during intense HBV replication. In patients negative for serum HBsAg, PBMC may constitute a reservoir of HBV.