ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ РЕКОМБИНАНТНЫХ ПОЛИПЕПТИДОВ ORF2 И ORF3 В ЛАБОРАТОРНОЙ ДИАГНОСТИКЕ ВИРУСНОГО ГЕПАТИТА Е

I. S. Zadora; S. V. Zhavoronok; L. A. Anisko; T. A. Rogacheva; V. V. Simirsky; A. I. Shcherban; N. V. Shchuka; G. I. Alatortseva; L. N. Pritvorova; L. N. Nesterenko; V. V. Zverev

doi:10.25298/2616-5546-2026-10-1-38-43

I. S. Zadora Belarusian State Medical University; Unitary Enterprise «Pilot Production of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2231-1785
S. V. Zhavoronok Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9727-1103
L. A. Anisko Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk, Belarus; City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital, Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5466-2590
T. A. Rogacheva Belarusian State Medical University; City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital, Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3729-5730
V. V. Simirsky Unitary Enterprise «Pilot Production of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8653-5437
A. I. Shcherban Unitary Enterprise «Pilot Production of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Minsk, Belarus 4Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1929-0901
N. V. Shchuka Unitary Enterprise «Pilot Production of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Minsk, Belarus https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1179-3958
G. I. Alatortseva Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution «I. Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera», Moscow, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9887-4061
L. N. Pritvorova Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution «I. Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera», Moscow, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2997-8892
L. N. Nesterenko Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution «I. Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera», Moscow, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3825-3906
V. V. Zverev Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution «I. Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera»; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0017-1892

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25298/2616-5546-2026-10-1-38-43

Keywords: hepatitis E virus, HEV, ORF2, ORF3, enzyme immunoassay, ELISA

Abstract

Background. Hepatitis E virus, which causes an infectious disease in humans, is classified as the species Paslahepevirus balayani. The viral genome contains three open reading frames (ORFs). ORF2 encodes the major capsid protein of the HEV virion, which is involved in the assembly of viral particles. The ORF3 protein is critically required for virion egress from the cell and for the formation of infectious particles. Objective. To study the immunological effectiveness of using recombinant antigens that are analogs of the ORF2 and ORF3 proteins of hepatitis E virus genotype 3. Material and methods. 96-well breakable plates, recombinant polypeptides ORF2 and ORF3 of HEV genotype 3, 26 human serum samples containing IgM antibodies, and 29 human serum samples containing IgG antibodies were used. Results. Statistically significant differences were established between the recombinant ORF2 and ORF3 polypeptides of hepatitis E virus genotype 3 for the detection of IgM-class antibodies (U = 384.500; p<0.001). The optical density (OD) values of samples obtained using sensitized recombinant ORF2 polypeptide exceeded those obtained using sensitized recombinant ORF3 polypeptide by 4.4-fold (2.657–7.076). Statistically significant differences were also observed between the recombinant ORF2 and ORF3 polypeptides for the detection of IgG-class immunoglobulins (U=317.500; p<0.001). The OD values of samples with sensitized recombinant ORF2 polypeptide exceeded those obtained with sensitized recombinant ORF3 polypeptide by 76.0-fold (26.22–140.89). Conclusion. The ORF2 capsid protein of hepatitis E virus is the principal antigen responsible for the induction of IgMand IgG-class antibodies during HEV infection. This is supported by the presence of immunodominant epitopes within the ORF2 structure, the dominant reactivity of patient sera, and the widespread use of ORF2 in serological diagnostics. IgG antibodies directed against ORF2 constitute the basis for the assessment of post-infectious immune responses. In contrast, the regulatory ORF3 protein does not play a leading role in the induction of IgM and IgG responses and has limited antigenic significance.

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USING RECOMBINANT ORF2 AND ORF3 POLYPEPTIDES IN LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS OF VIRAL HEPATITIS E

Abstract

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