title: Alpha Gal is widely expressed in embryonic porcine stem cells and neural tissue.
abstract: Fetal porcine neural xenografts are an alternative to human fetal tissue for cell based treatments of a number of neurodegenerative conditions but are currently limited by host immunological rejection. The expression of a major immunological epitope, Galalpha1-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta-R (alphaGal) was determined on stem cells and primary cells derived from E26 porcine fetal brains. alphaGal was detected on the majority of neural stem cells and cells from primary cell suspensions. The expression of this epitope paralleled the binding of human IgG and IgM to the cells, a binding that was significantly reduced with anti-alphaGal depleted human serum. This study demonstrates that alphaGal expression is extensive in embryonic porcine neural cells and will be of relevance to any clinical trials using this tissue.
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 2PY, UK.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Harrower
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Copeman
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dunnett
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Barker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D000939:Epitopes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D014312:Trisaccharides; C076569:alpha-galactosyl epitope