Correlation between the e-antigen, Pre-S1 antigen, Pre-S2 antigen and DNA of hepatitis B virus

Objective To study the relationship between the hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg), Pre-S1 antigen (Pre-S1), Pre-S2 antigen (Pre-S2) and DNA of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods The blood samples of 268 cases of viral B hepatitis were collected. The HBV DNA of all samples were tested by fluorescent-quantitating PCR method, and HBeAg were assayed by time-resolved fluoroim-munoassay method, and their Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbentassay method. Results The positive rates of HBeAg, Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 in HBV DNA positive group were 48.2%, 76.4% and 100% respectively, and 1.6%, 36.3% and 32.3% respectively in HBV DNA negative group. There was significantly difference between the HBeAg, Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 positive rates of the two groups (Chi-square test, P<0.01). Conclusions There was positive relationship between the HBeAg, Pre-S1, Pre-S2 and DNA which all were indicators of HBV reproduction. Comparing to HBV DNA, Pre-S2 was the most, Pre-S1 the second, and HBeAg the third sensitive indicator for evaluating HBV reproduction. Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 could be used as the supplementary indicator for the reproduction of HBV.