Purification of hepatitis B surface antigen by affinity chromatography

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Virology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant global health concern.
• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a key component of HBV and a target for diagnostics and vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and scalable purification method for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
• To characterize the purified HBsAg particles.

Main Methods:

• Purification of HBsAg from human plasma using affinity chromatography with matrix-bound sulphated carbohydrates (heparin or dextran sulphate).
• Further purification of HBsAg via precipitation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000.
• Characterization of purified HBsAg using electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• A highly purified HBsAg preparation was obtained.
• The purification process yielded approximately 70% recovery of the total antigen.
• Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of predominantly 22 nm spherical particles, with minimal filamentous forms.

Conclusions:

• The described method provides a simple, rapid, and effective means for purifying HBsAg.
• This purification technique is well-suited for large-scale applications in vaccine or diagnostic development.