Discovery of the natural anti-Gal antibody and its past and future relevance to medicine
Authors
Galili, UriUMass Chan Affiliations
Department of SurgeryDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2013-05-01Keywords
Transplantation, HeterologousAmino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins
Biochemistry
Immunopathology
Surgery
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This is a personal account of the discovery of the natural anti-Gal antibody, the most abundant natural antibody in humans, the reciprocal distribution of this antibody and its ligand the alpha-gal epitope in mammals and the immunological barrier this antibody has formed in porcine to human xenotransplantation. This barrier has been overcome in the recent decade with the generation of alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pigs. However, anti-Gal continues to be relevant in medicine as it can be harnessed for various therapeutic effects. Anti-Gal converts tumor lesions injected with alpha-gal glycolipids into vaccines that elicit a protective anti-tumor immune response by in situ targeting of tumor cells for uptake by antigen-presenting cells. This antibody further accelerates wound and burn healing by interaction with alpha-gal nanoparticles applied to injured areas and induction of rapid recruitment and activation of macrophages. Anti-Gal/alpha-gal nanoparticle immune complexes may further induce rapid recruitment and activation of macrophages in ischemic myocardium and injured nerves, thereby inducing tissue regeneration and prevention of fibrosis.Source
Xenotransplantation. 2013 May/June;20(3): 138–147. doi: 10.1111/xen.12034. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1111/xen.12034Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/30701PubMed ID
23577774Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1111/xen.12034