Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.

<h4>Background</h4>Humans are genetically defective in synthesizing the common mammalian sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), but can metabolically incorporate it from dietary sources (particularly red meat and milk) into glycoproteins and glycolipids of human tumors, fetuses...

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Main Authors: Sandra L Diaz, Vered Padler-Karavani, Darius Ghaderi, Nancy Hurtado-Ziola, Hai Yu, Xi Chen, Els C M Brinkman-Van der Linden, Ajit Varki, Nissi M Varki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2009-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004241&type=printable
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author Sandra L Diaz
Vered Padler-Karavani
Darius Ghaderi
Nancy Hurtado-Ziola
Hai Yu
Xi Chen
Els C M Brinkman-Van der Linden
Ajit Varki
Nissi M Varki
author_facet Sandra L Diaz
Vered Padler-Karavani
Darius Ghaderi
Nancy Hurtado-Ziola
Hai Yu
Xi Chen
Els C M Brinkman-Van der Linden
Ajit Varki
Nissi M Varki
author_sort Sandra L Diaz
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Humans are genetically defective in synthesizing the common mammalian sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), but can metabolically incorporate it from dietary sources (particularly red meat and milk) into glycoproteins and glycolipids of human tumors, fetuses and some normal tissues. Metabolic incorporation of Neu5Gc from animal-derived cells and medium components also results in variable contamination of molecules and cells intended for human therapies. These Neu5Gc-incorporation phenomena are practically significant, because normal humans can have high levels of circulating anti-Neu5Gc antibodies. Thus, there is need for the sensitive and specific detection of Neu5Gc in human tissues and biotherapeutic products. Unlike monoclonal antibodies that recognize Neu5Gc only in the context of underlying structures, chicken immunoglobulin Y (IgY) polyclonal antibodies can recognize Neu5Gc in broader contexts. However, prior preparations of such antibodies (including our own) suffered from some non-specificity, as well as some cross-reactivity with the human sialic acid N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac).<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>We have developed a novel affinity method utilizing sequential columns of immobilized human and chimpanzee serum sialoglycoproteins, followed by specific elution from the latter column by free Neu5Gc. The resulting mono-specific antibody shows no staining in tissues or cells from mice with a human-like defect in Neu5Gc production. It allows sensitive and specific detection of Neu5Gc in all underlying glycan structural contexts studied, and is applicable to immunohistochemical, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot and flow cytometry analyses. Non-immune chicken IgY is used as a reliable negative control. We show that these approaches allow sensitive detection of Neu5Gc in human tissue samples and in some biotherapeutic products, and finally show an example of how Neu5Gc might be eliminated from such products, by using a human cell line grown under defined conditions.<h4>Conclusions</h4>We report a reliable antibody-based method for highly sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic acid Neu5Gc in human tissues and biotherapeutic products that has not been previously described.
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spelling doaj-art-334e1e034bbb495c9bc521e341aed29a2025-08-20T02:17:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032009-01-0141e424110.1371/journal.pone.0004241Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.Sandra L DiazVered Padler-KaravaniDarius GhaderiNancy Hurtado-ZiolaHai YuXi ChenEls C M Brinkman-Van der LindenAjit VarkiNissi M Varki<h4>Background</h4>Humans are genetically defective in synthesizing the common mammalian sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), but can metabolically incorporate it from dietary sources (particularly red meat and milk) into glycoproteins and glycolipids of human tumors, fetuses and some normal tissues. Metabolic incorporation of Neu5Gc from animal-derived cells and medium components also results in variable contamination of molecules and cells intended for human therapies. These Neu5Gc-incorporation phenomena are practically significant, because normal humans can have high levels of circulating anti-Neu5Gc antibodies. Thus, there is need for the sensitive and specific detection of Neu5Gc in human tissues and biotherapeutic products. Unlike monoclonal antibodies that recognize Neu5Gc only in the context of underlying structures, chicken immunoglobulin Y (IgY) polyclonal antibodies can recognize Neu5Gc in broader contexts. However, prior preparations of such antibodies (including our own) suffered from some non-specificity, as well as some cross-reactivity with the human sialic acid N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac).<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>We have developed a novel affinity method utilizing sequential columns of immobilized human and chimpanzee serum sialoglycoproteins, followed by specific elution from the latter column by free Neu5Gc. The resulting mono-specific antibody shows no staining in tissues or cells from mice with a human-like defect in Neu5Gc production. It allows sensitive and specific detection of Neu5Gc in all underlying glycan structural contexts studied, and is applicable to immunohistochemical, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot and flow cytometry analyses. Non-immune chicken IgY is used as a reliable negative control. We show that these approaches allow sensitive detection of Neu5Gc in human tissue samples and in some biotherapeutic products, and finally show an example of how Neu5Gc might be eliminated from such products, by using a human cell line grown under defined conditions.<h4>Conclusions</h4>We report a reliable antibody-based method for highly sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic acid Neu5Gc in human tissues and biotherapeutic products that has not been previously described.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004241&type=printable
spellingShingle Sandra L Diaz
Vered Padler-Karavani
Darius Ghaderi
Nancy Hurtado-Ziola
Hai Yu
Xi Chen
Els C M Brinkman-Van der Linden
Ajit Varki
Nissi M Varki
Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
PLoS ONE
title Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
title_full Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
title_fullStr Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
title_full_unstemmed Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
title_short Sensitive and specific detection of the non-human sialic Acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products.
title_sort sensitive and specific detection of the non human sialic acid n glycolylneuraminic acid in human tissues and biotherapeutic products
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004241&type=printable
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