Immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HBx-antigen of hepatitis B virus. The hepatitis B virus genome encodes a transcriptional transactivator protein designated HBxAg. We have investigated whether this antigen is a target structure for human T-lymphocytes. Using recombinant HBxAg protein, we found HBxAg-specific stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 6) and chronic hepatitis B virus infection (6 of 17) but not in healthy individuals. With HBxAg-specific synthetic polypeptides, several T-cell epitopes were identified. Most were located in the carboxyterminal half of the HBxAg protein. Five T-cell clones specific for a T-cell epitope located at the carboxyterminal region of HBxAg were established and found to belong to the CD2/CD4-positive, CD8-negative subtype. These data establish for the first time HBxAg as an antigen in the cellular immune response. 