Anti-N-glycolylneuraminic acid antibodies identified in healthy human serum.
The first and major clinical obstacle in xenotransplantation is antibody-mediated hyperacute rejection. Although human natural antibodies against Galalpha1,3Gal (Gal) antigens, which are common on porcine cells and organs, have been identified to play a major role in hyperacute rejection, other natural antibodies against non-Gal epitopes may be also involved in the process. Here, we present evidence suggesting that the majority of human anti-non-Gal antibodies are specific for carbohydrate structures carrying terminally linked N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc), a xenoantigen existing in almost all animals except humans. Furthermore, this anti-NeuGc activity is detectable in 85% of healthy humans, implicating the involvement of NeuGc in hyperacute rejection and the importance of developing strategies for removing NeuGc for clinical xenotransplantation.
Zhu
Alex
A
Immucom Inc., New York, NY 10032, USA. azhu@immucom.com
Hurst
Rosa
R
D000818:Animals; D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D009438:Neuraminic Acids / Q000276:immunology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology*
D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009438:Neuraminic Acids; C032592:N-glycolylneuraminic acid