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The Natural Anti-Gal Antibody

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α-Gal and Anti-Gal

Part of the book series: Subcellular Biochemistry ((SCBI,volume 32))

Abstract

Anti-Gal is the most abundant antibody found in humans. It constitutes 1 % of circulating antibodies and interacts specifically with the α-gal epitope (Galα1-3Galβl-4GlcNAc-R). This chapter describes the studies which have red to the identification of the unique specificity of this antibody, the mechanisms inducing production of this antibody and regulating its affinity, the genes encoding this antibody, and the effects of immune tolerance on anti-Gal specificity. Understanding the various aspects of anti-Gal activity in humans and in mice that lack α-gal epitopes (i.e. knock-out mice for α-galactosyltransferase) provides paradigms for a general understanding of anti-carbohydrate immune response.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19129, USA

    Uri Galili, Le Wang & Marko Z. Radic

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19129, USA

    Denise C. LaTemple

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  1. Uri Galili
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  2. Le Wang
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  3. Denise C. LaTemple
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  4. Marko Z. Radic
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Uri Galili

  2. Institute of Biomedicine, Caracas, Venezuela

    José Luis Avila

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Galili, U., Wang, L., LaTemple, D.C., Radic, M.Z. (1999). The Natural Anti-Gal Antibody. In: Galili, U., Avila, J.L. (eds) α-Gal and Anti-Gal. Subcellular Biochemistry, vol 32. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4771-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4771-6_4

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