C 형 간염 바이러스 (Hepatitis C Virus, HCV)는 두종류의 외피당단백질 $E1_{192-383}$ 및 $E2_{384-746}$를 갖고 있다. $E1_{192-383}$ 및 $E2_{384-740}$ 단백질은 glutathione S-transferae (GST) 융합단백질의 형태로 대장균에서 발현되지 않았으나, 이 단백질들의 C말단에 존재하는 소수성영역을 제거하였을 때 $GST-E1_{192-283}$ 융합단백질은 과량으로 가용성 형태로 발현되었고, $GST-E2_{384-649}$ 융합단백질은 비 가용성 형태로 발현되었다. 이 융합단백질들 각각은 HCV 양성환자의 혈청과 특이적으로 반응하였다. Thrombin으로 처리하여 얻은 정제된 $E1_{192-283}$ 단백질 및 융합형태의 $GST-E2_{384-649}$ 단백질 각각을 생쥐에 접종하였을 때 E1 및 E2 특이적인 항체가 생성되었다. 이 결과들은 $E1_{192-383}$ 및 $E2_{384-649}$ 융합단백질 C 말단에 존재하는 소수성영역이 이 단백질들의 발현량 및 가용성에 영향을 주며 $E1_{192-283}$ 단백질 영역내에 HCV 양성환자의 혈청과 특이적으로 반응하는 epitope (s)이 존재한다는 것을 제시해 주고 있다.

Three cDNA fragments located within NS5 region of HCV were synthesized by RT using viral RNA extracted from blood sample of Korean patient as a template. The cDNAs were amplified by PCR, cloned into the T-vector, and the nucleotide sequences were determined. Comparative analysis of the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of NS5 cDNAs showed that it is closely related with HCV type 1b. The cloned NS5 cDNA showed 91-94% homology at the nucleotide sequence level and 96-98% homology at the amino acid sequence level with several strains of the HCV type 1b. The NS5 cDNAs were subcloned into E. coli expression vectors to construct pRSETA5-1, pTHAN5-1, pRSETC5-2, pRSETBB1, pRESTCB1 and pRSETB-H3. Expression of the NS5 proteins was achieved by inducing the promoter with isopropyl-thio-${\beta}$-D-galactoside (IPTG) and confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The NS5 proteins were immunoreactive against sera from Korean hepatitis C patients in Western blot analysis. Among the recombinant NS5 proteins, pRSETAS-1 plasmid derived protein, coded from aa2022 to aa2521 of HCV polyprotein, showed the strongest immunoreactivity against sera from Korean hepatitis C patients in immunoblot analysis. These results suggest that NS5 proteins would be useful as an antigen for detection of antibody against HCV in the blood samples.

Serum samples from 123 males and 123 females collected by age in 1996 were analyzed for antibodies against surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus and C22-3, C200 antigens of Hepatitis C virus. Sera from the children under the age of 10 showed 30% seropositivity to the surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus, 33.3% in $10{\sim}19$ year group, 20% in $20{\sim}29$ year group, 17.6% in $30{\sim}39$ year group, 3.3% in $40{\sim}49$ year group, 5.9% in $50{\sim}59$ year group, 8,3% in $60{\sim}69$ year group, 2.9% in $70{\sim}79$ year group, but antibody could not found in $80{\sim}86$ year group. 12 out of 123 male sera were positive, 19 out of 123 female sera were positive and overall rate of positivity of antibody against surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus was 12.6%. Serum samples from peoples under the age of 30 had not antibody against C22-3, C200 antigens of Hepatitis C virus. The positivity rate was 2.9% in $30{\sim}39$ year group. 5 out of 30 sera from $40{\sim}49$ year age group were positive, and 3 positive sera showed extremely high titer (1:524,288) but the titers of two remaining sera were 1:32, 1:8,192 respectively. 5.9% was positive in $50{\sim}59$ year group, 8.3% in $60{\sim}69$ year group, 11.8% in $70{\sim}79$ year group but all negative in $80{\sim}86$ year group 6 out of 123 male sera were positive (4.9%), 9 out of 123 female sera were positive (7.3%). Overall rate of positivity of antibody against C22-3, C200 antigen of Hepatitis C virus was 6.1 %. None out of 246 sera had both antibodies against Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus.

We evaluated Immunochromatographic assay kit to screen HBsAg in human serum. When the reference HBsAg was applyed to ICA, HA and EIA kits, the limit of detection for HBsAg were found out to be 4, 2 and 0.25 ng/ml respectively. But ICA kit required 5 minutes to read the result whereas HA and EIA kit more than one hour. The sensitivity was 97% (29 of 30 samples) and the specificity 100% (45 samples) compared with conventional EIA. The ICA kit needs no instrument or machine to perform the test contrary to the conventional methods. Therefore, this rapid and sensitive ICA kit can be used for HBsAg-screening, especially in the emergency room and in the scene of the accident.

Most of the current licenced hepatitis B vaccines are being produced by recombinant DNA technology in large fermentation cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae of yeast cells which carry the gene coded for hepatitis B virus surface antigen. These vaccines are proved very effective clinically and the immunogenicity of vaccines could be maintained for a long time under refrigeration. To develope the stabilizer that could increase the stability of hepatitis B virus vaccine which could be stored for a long period at room temperature or higher conditions, glucose, lactose and sucrose solutions in phosphate buffered saline were added into hepatitis B vaccine respectively to make 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% final concentration in vaccines. These sugar-vaccine mixtures were stored at room temperature for one month, two months and three months respectively and then inoculated into ICR mice intramuscularly. On the fourteenth day after inoculation, mice were bled and sera were tested for the evaluation of efficacies of vaccines. The results showed that 5% glucose, 7.5% lactose and sucrose increased the stability of vaccines in some degree and this method could be applied for the production of other viral vaccines and bacterial vaccines.

In view of the potential of replicase protein as a diagnostic reagent for human caliciviruses (HuCVs), we have cloned and over-expressed this gene from the Snow Mountain-like Korean strains in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST), and described the preliminary antigenic characterization of the recombinant products. Each 470bp fragment corresponding to highly conserved region of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase was generated by RT-PCR from stools of two diarrheal children, cloned in pMOSBlue T-vector, and subcloned between the EcoRI and SalI restriction sites of pGEX-4T-3, a GST gene fusion vector, yielding $pGCV_{pol}$. This construct expressed a Snow Mountain-like HuCV replicase under the control of the IPTG-inducible tac promoter. An extract prepared by sonication of the E. coli cell inclusion bodies bearing $pGCV_{pol}$ products was purified and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. After Coomassie blue staining, it was shown that the recombinant replicase migrated on the gels with an approximate molecular mass of 46.5 kDa, that was subsequently cleaved into a 26 kDa GST fragment and a 20.5 kDa replicase protein upon digestion with thrombin protease. The replicase was recognized on immunoblotting with the sera from symptomatic children with the HuCV-associated diarrhea but not by asymptomatic sera from adults. The results presented the first biological activity of individually expressed HuCV replicase subunit and provided important reagents for diagnosis of HuCV infection.

The present study was designed to estimate the seroprevalence of NLVs among diarrheagenic children and in healthy adults in Seoul and its vicinity with the use of an EIA and an Western blot (WB) based on recombinant Norwalk virus capsid protein (rNV) and crude virus preparations as antigen. Seroconversion was observed in 34 (83%) of 41 tested using the EIA and in 21 (54%) of 39 using the WB, suggesting that the NLVs with epitopes common to rNV are prevalent in Seoul area. Diarrheal children who were known to have been infected with several other strains of the NLVs showed no significant antibody response to the rNV. Infection with rNV occurred earlier in life: primary infections with rNV were common before the age of 6 months and over 91 % of children had evidence of infection by that age by the EIA. Since the amount of the NLV antigens available for seroepidemiologic surveys is limited, we tried to detect NLV antibody by using crude virus preparations as antigen. One crude virus preparation of a child whose stool yielded genetically distinct NLV revealed the presence of the plural number of bands upon SDS-PAGE, but precipitated only one band (62 kDa) after the WB with a serum (collected 10 days after the onset of symptoms) of another diarrheal child. The WB assay we present in this report revealed that the NLVs are prevalent among Korean population and that the sera contained antibody to a single major structural protein, with molecular sizes of 58 to 62 kDa, compatible with the sizes reported for the Norwalk virus and Snow Mountain agent proteins, respectively. When the results of the WB were compared with those obtained by the EIA, the EIA antibody assay was sensitive enough to detect an antibody rise of as much as 4096-fold but not as specific as the WB. The WB assay presented in this paper will provide a powerful tool to elucidate not only antigenic structures of the NL Vs but also seroepidemiology of the NLV infection. The availability of an unlimited source of antigen will enable a large scale serologic studies that will greatly increase our understanding of the role of NLVs in human enteric illness.

In this study, the feasibility of identification and genotypic differentiation of enteroviruses was investigated by using nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Two hundred seventy-four clinical samples were assayed by both nested RT-PCR and tube culture method using MRC-5 and MK cells; 58 (86.6%) out of 67 enterovirus culture-positive samples contained enteroviral RNA. In addition, 114 (55.1%) of 207 samples from patients with suspected enteroviral CNS disease with negative viral cultures were positive by the nested RT-PCR. The nested RT-PCR products were genotyped by the SSCP method and the results were compared with serotypes. We could differentiate 6 subtypes, 3 of which are similar to coxsackievirus B3, B5, echovirus 11, plus 3 other subtypes. RFLP cleaved with Sty I, Bgl I, and Xmn I yielded characteristic patterns for each laboratory strains. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the RT-PCR for the rapid diagnosis of enterovirus infection and the potentials of the SSCP method for differentiation of enterovirus strains.

Multiple species of muridae and arvicolidae rodents serve as the natural reserviors of hantaviruses. Hantaviruses are distributed in rodent populations world-widely even in geographical areas where hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) has not been reported. Serologic diagnosis of infection, using hantaviral antigen, indicates that hantaviruses are widey distributed in wild rodents. This study was designed to intended the hantavirus infection among wild rodents captured in Kyebang mountain, Kangwon-do in Korea. A total of 216 wild rodents in 3 species were trapped in July and September in 1995. Serological evidence for hantaviruses infection were tested against five hantavirus antigens by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFA). Among 100 Eothenomys regulus, 78 Apodemus peninsulae and 38 Apodemus agrarius; 12 C. regulus, 15 A. peninsulae and 6 A. agrarius were IF antibody positive against hantaviruses. This data suggest that Eothenomys regulus and Apodemus peninsulae would be a natural reservoir of hantaviruses.

Sequence comparison of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of human caliciviruses (HuCVs) from Korean children with gastroenteritis revealed significant genetic variation among them. cDNA clones were produced from the HuCVs collected from pediatric population during a period of 1987-1994. The application of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers directed to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region within ORF1 of Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 13.7% of HuCVs yielded PCR products of similar size to the NV prototype, NV8FIIa/68/US, with exceptions of HuCV 185/87/Korea and HuCV 1115/90/Korea. Computer analyses showed that the PCR products had a continuous protein encoding frame on the positive strand, and contained GLPSG and YGDD amino acid motifs at the predicted distance from primers. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of HuCVs with previously published sequences for Snow Mountain agent (SMA), NV, and Sapporo/82/Japan indicated that these strains can be divided into four major genogroups. There were 10 (45%) SMA-like CVs, one (4.5%) NV-like HuCVs, two (9%) Sapporo-like HuCVs, and nine (41%) unidentified HuCVs. This fourth genogroup should be investigated further. HuCV 185/87/Korea and HuCV 1115/90/Korea, Sapporo-like CVs, were genetically distinct from previously characterized HuCVs and more closely related to known animal CVs. One of the animal CV-like strain, HuCV 185/87/Korea, showed nucleotide and amino acid homology of only 67% and 73% with the prototype Sapporo/82/Japan. Further characterization of animal and human CV genomes and studies of possible cross-transmission of CVs from animals to humans are likely to be beneficial in understanding the epidemiology of HuCVs.

To investigate the NS4 region of JEV, NS4 cDNA of K94P05 (JEV strain isolated from Korea in 1994) was amplified by RT-PCR and analyzed by sequencing PCR product. Genomic size of NS4 was 1212bp and nucleotide sequence was compared with that of other JEV strains. Nucleotide homology between JaOAr582 and K94P05 was 91.1% and that between Beijing and K94P05 was 89.8%, respectively. But the nucleotide sequence of E region of JaOAr582 and K94P05 showed 97.0% homology and that of Beijing and K94P05 did 95.8% homology. NS4 protein was expressed as a form of fusion protein by a prokaryotic expression system. The induced fusion product showed a lower molecular weight than predicted size and remained insoluble. The NS4 protein might be cleavaged by E. coli protease. Concluding above results, high hydrophobicity of the NS4 protein supported the fact that this protein played a role as a membrane component and the poor nucleotide sequence conservativity among JEV strains suggested that this region might be important to adapt each viral growth environment.

Three dimensional structures of envelope protein from Korean isolates and Nakayama-NIH strain of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) were deduced by a computer program (HyperChem 4.0 Chemplus 1.0) based on the data of the three dimentional structure of Tick-borne encephalitis virus. In the three dimensional structure of envelope protein, neutralizing epitope and T-helper cell recognition site of C-terminal region of Korean isolates were structually similar to those of Nakayama-NIH but the N-terminal region was not. Korean JE isolates were compared with Nakayama-NIH strain by using cross-neutralization antibody test. Neutralizing activities of Korean isolates derived from guinea pigs were higher than those of Nakayama-NIH strain against Korean isolates, although the polyclonal antibody titers of Nakayama-NlH showed 1:160 to 1:640 against Korean isolates. According to the results from three dimentional structures and cross-neutralization analyses, the antigenic difference between Korean JE isolates and Nakayama-NIH strain may be dependent on structural difference of envelope protein.

PCR amplication using the primers for gag, pol and env genes in BLV (bovine leukemia virus) proviral DNA and syncytium assay were carried out for the Korean native goats experimentally infected with bovine leukemia virus to investigate pathogenesis of BLV in the goats, and to establish a model animal for BLV infection. The oligonucleotide primers used in PCR revealed very high specificity. The minimal amount of FLK-BLV cellular chromosomal DNA to detect the integrated BLV proviral DNA was 10 ng. The peripheral blood lymphocytes from the goat infected with BLV were examined at regular intervals by PCR amplification and syncytium assay. Pol or gag genes were detected in none of three infected goats at the 1st week post-infection (p.i.). At the 4th week p.i., one of three goats showed the amplified gag gene. Thereafter detection rates for the genes were increased, indicating that the BLV proviral genes were integrated in all of the lymphocytes from three goats, at the 16th weeks p.i., when it was evident in syncytium assay that the lymphocytes from all of three goats were infested with infective BLV. Investigating the tissues from the necropsied goats at the 8th month p.i., the amplified BLV proviral genes and infective BLV were detected in all of the peripheral lymphocytes from three infected-goats. Among various tissues examined, the amplified BLV proviral genes were observed in spleen and superficial cervical, mandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and the infective BLV, in superficial cervical and mandibular lymph nodes. It was assumed that the Korean native goat was quite susceptible to BLV infection, indicating that the goat could be a good model animal for BLV.

향약집성방 및 동의보감등 한의학 서적을 기초로 하여 선택한 탕제 45종과 단미제 80종의 메탄올과 열수추출물을 가지고 MTT assay를 실시하여 항Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1)에 대한 활성을 조사하였다. 열수추출 탕제 45종 중 백사전방, 현람방I, 현람방II, 반천청방 4종에서 항 HSV-1 활성을 나타냈고, 이들의 SI (selective index)값은 $2.1{\pm}0.5$에서 $11.8{\pm}2.2$ 범위의 값을 가졌으며 메탄올추출 탕제 45종 중에서는 단치시호탕III, 반천청방, 정향울금방, 대황오배자고, 홍인락삼등방, 호장해독탕에서 활성을 보였고 이들의 SI값은 $1.7{\pm}0.2$에서 $10.5{\pm}3.1$ 범위의 값을 나타냈다. 열수추출 단미제 중계지, 관중, 구인분, 대황, 자화지정, 포공영, 호장근, 황백등 8종에서 항 HSV-1 활성이 나타났고, 이들의 SI값은 $1.6{\pm}0.1$에서 $10.2{\pm}0.7$ 범위의 값을 가졌으며 메탄올추출 탕제 중에서는 계지, 목방기, 상지, 호장근에서 활성을 보였고 이들의 SI 값은 $2.9{\pm}1.5$에서 $9.3{\pm}0.5$ 범위의 값을 나타내었다. 처방제 중 반천청방은 열수추출물과 메탄올 추출물 모두에서 항바이러스 활성을 나타냈고, 단미제 중 계지와 호장근도 열수와 메탄올 추출물 모두에서 항바이러스 활성을 보였다. 이들 탕제 및 단미제는 분획 및 분석실험을 실시하여 활성성분을 추적하고 있다.

전염성 췌장괴저바이러스 (Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus) DRT 주의 VP1유전자를 대 장균 발현운반체와 Baculovirus에 삽입하여 대장균과 진핵세로에서 VP1단백질의 발현을 연구하였다. 재조합체 pMal-pol 클론 [7]에서 2.7 Kb 단편인 VP1 유전자를 제한효소 XbaI으로 절단하여 Baculovirus 운반체인 pBacPAK9에 클로닝하여 pBacVP1이라 명명하였다. 이 pBacVP1에 클로닝된 VP1유전자를 제한효소 SacI과 PstI으로 절단하여 대장균 발현 운반체인 pQE-30에 클로닝하여 pQEVP1이라 명명하였다. 또한 VP1 단백질의 C-말단에 6개의 히스티딘 $6{\times}His$이 붙어 있는 단백질을 만들기 위하여, pQEVP1 클론의 His부위를 EcoRI으로 절단하고, 또한 pBacVP1을 EcoRI으로 절단하여 생긴 부위에His-EcoRI DNA 단편을 교체시켜 재클로닝하여 pBacHis-VP1을 만들었다. pBacHis-VP1 DNA와 Bsu36I로 처리된 LacZ-Hyphantria cunea nuclear polyhedrosis virus (LacZ-HcNPV)를 함께 lipofectin을 이용하여 곤충세포 (Spodoptera frugiperda cell)에 동시 감염을 시켜서 재조합 바이러스를 선발하여, VP1-HcNPV-1이라 명명하였다. pQEVP1 클론은 6개의 히스티딘 단편이 부착된 VP1단백질을 Ni-NTA resin 크로마토그래피법으로 정제하여 SDS-PAGE와 Western blot으로 확인하였고, 단백질의 활성과 구조에 영향을 주지 않는 6개의 히스티딘 단편 ($6\;{\times}\;His$)이 부착된 94 kDa의 VP1단백질을 정제할 수 있었다. 또한 재조합 바이러스에 감염된 곤충세포에서 VP1 단백질이 발현된 것을 전기영동과 Western blot으로 검색을 한 결과 95 kDa VP1 단백질이 발현이 되었음을 확인하였다.

Adenoviruses are icosahedral virions containing double-stranded linea DNA. They are 70 nm to 90 nm in diameter and capsid is composed of 252 capsomeres. Several members of this group, including types commonly associated with respiratory disease in man, are capable of producing malignant tumors in young hamsters and a few types have been shown to be oncogenic in young rat. Previous report involving effect of caffein on transformation induced by Adenovirus type 12 [9] has been carried out. The present report represents a continuation of previous study. To obtain evidence concerning the effect of MNNG (N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroguanidine) on transformation, investigation of adenovirus type 12 of this group was undertaken. For practical consideration it was desirable to investigate the effect of MNNG on the adenovirus type 12 induced transformation in L cell. Results were as following 1. Adeno virus type 12 induced transformation was enhanced in the presence of MNNG. 2. Yields of adeno type 12 virus in L cell were slightly inhibited by treatment of MNNG.