Ludger offers a 2-AB labelled alpha-1,3-Gal standard, which can be used during glycoprofiling as a positive control for sequencing experiments utilising alpha1-3 galactose specific exoglycosidase.
Gal alpha 1-3 Gal (also known as Alpha Gal) is a potentially immunogenic glycan that has been reported to be present in recombinant biological pharmaceuticals.
It is found in the meat of non-primate mammals, cows milk and dog and cat dander.
Humans cannot synthesise the glycan but can express antibodies against this structure.
Anti-Gal antibodies comprise one per cent of circulating IgG antibodies in all humans.
An IgE-mediated allergic/hypersensitivity response to this glycan was observed in patients taking Cetuximab as a cancer treatment.
Cetuximab is a chimeric murine-human cell monoclonal antibody.
The cause for developing IgE antibodies specific to Alpha-Gal has been reported to occur after being bitten by certain types of tick.
In humans, the production of anti-Gal antibodies has presented an opportunity for developing methods that harness the immunologic potential of this antibody for clinically beneficial outcomes.
Anti-Gal IgG molecules bound to -gal epitopes on particulate or soluble vaccines will target them to APC at the vaccination site and induce effective uptake of the vaccine by APC.
