Alpha-Gal antigen and immunity risk control of animal-derived medical devices

Ke Lin-nan; Fang Yu; Shan Yong-qiang; Feng Xiao-ming; Xu Li-ming; Wang Chun-ren

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2014.25.020

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Medical devices from animals are commonly used in clinical application. Despite their efficiency is widely accepted, their safety, especialy immunity has been concerned. OBJECTIVE:To investigate immunity risk control to medical devices from animals for safety consideration. METHODS:Using “α-Gal antigen, immunity, xenotransplantation” in Chinese and English as the key words, the first author conducted a computer search of Science direct database (www.sciencedirect.com), Wiley-Blackewel database ( and Wanfang database (www.wanfang.com.cn) through screening the titles and abstracts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Increasing evidence shows that, Gal α1-3Gal antigen (α-Gal antigen) is recognized as the major antigen and abundantly expressed on glycoconjugates of non-primate mammals and New World monkeys. In contrast, the α-gal epitope is not expressed on glycoconjugates of humans and Old World monkeys. Instead, they produce a very large amount of natural anti-α-Gal antibody that specificaly binds the α-gal epitope. The binding of human natural anti-α-Gal to α-gal epitopes expressed on non-primate mammal animals was expected to be unique immunological barrier in xenotransplantation. Therefore, it is important to choose raw materials, reduce or eliminate the α-Ggal epitope, establish highα-Ggal epitope detection methods with high sensitivity and good repeatability for achieving a greater safety and efficiency of medical devices from animals.