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The glycan did it: how the α-gal story rescued carbohydrates for allergists — a US perspective

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Abstract

IgE antibodies to carbohydrate epitopes on allergens are thought to be less common than IgE antibodies to protein epitopes and also of much less clinical significance. Our recent work, however, has identified a novel IgE antibody response to a mammalian oligosaccharide epitope, galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). IgE to alpha-gal has been associated with two distinct forms of anaphylaxis including delayed allergic reactions after eating beef, pork or lamb. IgE antibody responses to alpha-gal have now been found globally. Therefore, establishing the mechanism of the specific IgE antibody response to alpha-gal will be an important aspect to address as this area of research continues.

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Abbreviations

Ab:

Antibodies

CCDs:

Cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor

α-gal:

Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose

Ig:

Immunglobulin

LDL:

Low density lipoprotein

mAb:

Monoclonal antibody

NGNA:

N-glycolyl neuraminic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Scott P. Commins MD, PhD & Maya R. Jerath

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Thomas Platts-Mills

  3. Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, 3300 Thurston Building, CB 7280, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-728, USA

    Scott P. Commins MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Scott P. Commins MD, PhD
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  2. Maya R. Jerath
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  3. Thomas Platts-Mills
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Correspondence to Scott P. Commins MD, PhD.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Platts-Mills holds a patent on the use of streptavidin solid phase to evaluate IgE antibodies to recombinant molecules. The rest of the authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Commins SP, Jerath MR, Platts-Mills T. The glycan did it: how the α-gal story rescued carbohydrates for allergists — a US perspective. Allergo J Int 2016;25:44–8 DOI: 10.1007/s15007-016-1031-z

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Commins, S.P., Jerath, M.R. & Platts-Mills, T. The glycan did it: how the α-gal story rescued carbohydrates for allergists — a US perspective. Allergo J 25, 24–28 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15007-016-1043-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15007-016-1043-8

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