Detection of hepatitis B virus PreS1 antigen using a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) PreS1 antigen is expressed at the distal most region of the envelope protein and contains the hepatocyte receptor-binding site. The presence of the HBV PreS1 antigen in serum and liver of HBsAg-positive patients is a new marker used for diagnosing HBV infection, and is indicative of viral replication. Our objective is to establish a method of time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) with higher sensitivity and broader detection range for detecting serum HBV PreS1 antigen. Eu(3+) labeling of antibodies was performed with respective labeling kits, and Eu(3+) fluorescence intensity was measured with an auto DELFIA1235 TRFIA analyzer. The established method was evaluated for its performance. Serum specimens (574 in total) from Wuxi People's Hospital were analyzed for PreS1 antigen using the TRFIA and ELISA. The precision, specificity, and sensitivity of the TRFIA were clearly better than ELISA. The detection limit was 0.01 ng/mL. The average recovery rate for PreS1 antigens was 103.3%. There was significant correlation between the PreS1 antigen results obtained by TRFIA and ELISA in 374 serum samples with HBV >10(3) IU/mL (χ(2) = 25.04, p < 0.01) and 183 HbeAg-positive serum samples (χ(2) = 12.07, p < 0.01). Normal reference ranges were established at 0-0.32 ng/mL based on the values obtained from 100 healthy controls. TRFIA is a significantly effective method for clinical detection of serum HBV PreS1 antigens.