Open Access??-GALACTOSYL EPITOPE-MEDIATED ACTIVATION OF PORCINE AORTIC ENDOTHELIAL CELLS
Author(s) -
Alois Palmetshofer,
Uri Galili,
Agustin P. Dalmasso,
Simon C. Robson,
Fritz H. Bach
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
transplantation
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.45
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1534-6080
pISSN - 0041-1337
DOI - 10.1097/00007890-199804150-00018
Subject(s) - complement system , epitope , antibody , proinflammatory cytokine , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , immunology , biology , biochemistry , pharmacology , inflammation
Xenoreactive natural antibodies (XNAs) and complement mediate hyperacute rejection of discordant xenografts. Inhibition of complement alone results in some prolongation of graft survival, but delayed xenograft rejection still precludes long-term graft survival. In vitro data provide evidence for the direct proinflammatory activation of endothelial cells (ECs) by XNAs. These antibodies are primarily directed against galactose alpha(1-3)-galactose (alpha-gal), the major xenoantigen in the pig to primate xenotransplant model. Previous studies have shown EC activation by XNAs but failed to address the question of whether alpha-gal-specific ligands can induce EC activation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether agonist binding to the alpha-gal epitope by alpha-gal-specific lectins as compared with XNAs or elicited xenoreactive antibodies can directly elicit type II porcine aortic EC (PAEC) activation (i.e., activation that requires protein synthesis).