Hepatitis b virus pre-s1 derived synthetic polypeptides and uses thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a group of synthetic polypeptides, derived from the pre-S1 region of HBV, that efficiently interfere with early steps of an HBV infection. The peptides of the invention can be used in diagnostics for the detection of antigens and/or antibodies.

1 . A method for inhibiting HBV infection of a cell in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a synthetic polypeptide of formula (I)
   X-Y-Z  (I)
   wherein
 X is an amino acid, or absent; 
 Y is the amino acid sequence consisting of at least amino acids 2 to 28 of pre-S1 region of HBV large (L) envelope protein corresponding to SEQ ID NO:2; 
 Z, linked to the —CO— group of the last residue of Y, is the amino acid sequence consisting of at least one and at most 30 consecutive amino acids of pre-S1 region of HBV L envelope protein corresponding to SEQ ID NO:3, or absent; 
   said polypeptide being chemically modified to bear a hydrophobic moiety.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic moiety is a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having at least 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic moiety is myristic acid or stearic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first amino acid of said polypeptide is chemically modified to bear a hydrophobic moiety. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said HBV L envelope protein is selected from a group consisting of HBV L envelope protein of human HBV, chimpanzee HBV strain LSH, woodchuck HBV, and Woolly Monkey HBV. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said human HBV is HBV strain alpha1. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said human HBV is HBV subtypes adr, ad, adw, adyw, ar or ayw. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide has the amino acid sequence selected from a group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 13, and SEQ ID NO: 14. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide consists of SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the first amino acid of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 is chemically modified to bear myristic acid or stearic acid.