Claims
- 1. Recombinant non-A, Non-B hepatitis virus genome RNA having the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR5##
- 2. Recombinant complementary DNA (cDNA) to Non-A, Non-B hepatitis virus genome RNA having the following nucleotide base sequence: ##STR6##
- 3. Recombinant homologous DNA to Non-A, Non-B heptatitis virus genome RNA having the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR7##
- 4. A Non-A, Non-B hepatitis diagnostic reagent test kit comprising a nucleic acid having the sequence according to claim 2.
- 5. A Non-A, Non-B hepatitis diagnostic reagent test kit comprising a nucleic acid having the sequence according to claim 3.
- 6. A method for detecting non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids in a sample, comprising:
- (a) reacting nucleic acids of the sample with a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis polynucleotide under conditions which allow the formation of a polynucleotide duplex between the probe and the non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid from the sample; and
- (b) detecting a polynucleotide duplex which contains the probe; wherein said probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR8##
- 7. A method for detecting non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids in a sample, comprising: (a) reacting nucleic acids of the sample with a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis polynucleotide under conditions which allow the formation of a polynucleotide duplex between the probe and the non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid from the sample; and
- (b) detecting a polynucleotide duplex which contains the probe; wherein said probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR9##
- 8. A method for detecting non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids in a sample, comprising:
- (a) reacting nucleic acids of the sample with a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis polynucleotide under conditions which allow the formation of a polynucleotide duplex between the probe and the non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid from the sample; and
- (b) detecting a polynucleotide duplex which contains the probe; wherein said probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR10##
- 9. A non-A, non-B hepatitis diagnostic test kit for analyzing samples for the presence of non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids, comprising a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid, wherein said non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR11##
- 10. A non-A, non-B hepatitis diagnostic test kit for analyzing samples for the presence of non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids, comprising a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid, wherein said non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR12##
- 11. A non-A, non-B hepatitis diagnostic test kit for analyzing samples for the presence of non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acids, comprising a probe for a non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid, wherein said non-A, non-B hepatitis nucleic acid probe has the following nucleotide sequence: ##STR13##
Priority Claims (1)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
| 322547 |
Dec 1988 |
JPX |
|
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
This is a continuation-in-part application of patent application serial number 07/451,968, filed Dec. 19, 1989, now abandoned, which is relied on and incorporated herein.
This invention relates to Non-A, Non-B hepatitis virus genome RNA, its cDNA as well as its virus antigen protein.
Viral hepatitis is divided approximately into two categories; enterically transmitted hepatitis and parenterally transmitted (blood-borne) hepatitis. Hepatitis A virus in the former and hepatitis B virus in the latter have been isolated as causative agents and their virological properties have been elucidated. As the results, diagnosis of and preventive measures against infection with those viruses have been established and diseases caused by them are held closely under control.
Parenterally transmitted Non-A, Non-B hepatitis (PT-NANB) is said to be about 95% of post-transfusion hepatitis cases in Japan, however, nothing has been confirmed of its causative virus except for its experimental transmission to chimpanzees as an only susceptive animal other than human beings. Almost all attempts made so far by various researchers have failed in identification of the causative agent virus because of the poor reproducibility of the reported results.
Very recently Chiron's scientists reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a causative agent of PT-NANB. Its genomic structure is said to resemble that of flavi viruses and an immunoassay using antigenic polypeptide deduced from HCV genomic sequence is, reportedly, capable of detecting antibodies highly associated with PT-NANB. But, virologically there is no evidence that HCV is the PT-NANB agent.
Arima also reported the nucleotide sequences of cDNA clones derived from PT-NANB patients' plasma after Chiron's disclosure of HCV genome. The nucleotide sequences of CHiron's, Arima's and the current invention are mutually independent, i.e., there is no homology among any pair of them.
Applicants have been strenuously conducting research in Non-A, Non B hepatitis and have succeeded in isolating cDNA clone very closely associated with PT-NANB. There is a clear association between the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA clone and PT-NANB; nucleotide-hybridization assay can detect virus and immunoassay using polypeptide deduced from the cDNA can detect antibodies in PT-NANB infected subjects. It has further been found that they are effective in diagnosis, prevention and therapy of PT-NANB as materials for diagnostic test kits or immunogens.
One feature of the present invention resides in providing a PT-NANB virus genome RNA having the following base sequence; ##STR1##
Another feature of the inventive resides in complementary DNA to PT-NANB virus genome RNA having the following base sequence; ##STR2##
A still further feature of the present invention resides in homologous DNA to PT-NANB virus genome RNA having the following base sequence; ##STR3##
Yet another feature of the invention resides in a PT-NANB virus antigen protein having the following amino acid residue sequence; ##STR4##
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 0318216 |
May 1989 |
EPX |
| 8806184 |
Aug 1988 |
WOX |
| 9002206 |
Mar 1990 |
WOX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
| Entry |
| Kubo et al., Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 17, No. 24, 1989, 10367. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
451968 |
Dec 1989 |
|
Patent Grant
5077193
