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The Molecular Immunology of Complex Carbohydrates-3 pp 571–583Cite as

Diversity of Natural Anti-α-Galactosyl Antibodies in Human Serum

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 705))

Abstract

Human serum contains many natural antibodies specific to carbohydrate epitopes (glycotopes) that are absent, or present in a cryptic form, in the host tissues. The first known examples were isoantibodies recognizing blood group A (GalNAcα1-3[Fucα1-2]Galβ-) or B (Galα1-3[Fucα1-2]Galβ-) antigens. Later, several anticarbohydrate antibodies commonly present in all or most human sera were detected thanks to the finding of rare polyagglutinable erythrocytes [1, 2]. Anti-T antibodies agglutinate desialylated human erythrocytes due to reactivity with Galβ1-3GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr units (Thomsen–Friedenreich antigen) of asialoglycophorins. This disaccharide is sialylated in normal human tissues and can be transiently exposed under pathological states by the action of microbial sialidases. Anti-Tn antibodies recognize GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr units that are persistently exposed in the rare Tn syndrome on mucin-type glycoproteins due to incomplete biosynthesis of O-glycans. In contrast to normal tissues, T and Tn antigens are expressed by various types of cancer cells and were the subject of wide interest as markers of malignancy. The first reported inherited type of polyagglutination was Cad, related to the Sda blood group.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunochemistry, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wroclaw, Poland

    Elwira Lisowska

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  1. Elwira Lisowska
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  2. Maria Duk
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Correspondence to Elwira Lisowska .

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  1. College of Medicine, Institute of Molecular&Cellular Biology, Chang-Gung University, Kwei-San, Tao-Yuan, 333, Taiwan R.O.C.

    Albert M. Wu

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Lisowska, E., Duk, M. (2011). Diversity of Natural Anti-α-Galactosyl Antibodies in Human Serum. In: Wu, A. (eds) The Molecular Immunology of Complex Carbohydrates-3. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 705. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7877-6_30

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