Reactivity of human anti-alpha-galactosyl IgG antibody with alpha(1-->3)-linked galactosyl epitopes exposed on basement membranes and on glomerular epithelial cells: an in vitro and in vivo study in the mouse.

Anti-alpha-galactosyl antibody (a-Gal Ab) is a human natural antibody belonging to the IgG class, found in high titres in all normal sera regardless of blood group, and specifically recognizing alpha (1-->3)-linked galactosyl residues. We have observed by radioimmunoassay, ELISA, passive haemagglutination and immunofluorescence blocking studies that affinity-purified a-Gal Ab reacted with mouse laminin, but not with the other mouse basement membrane proteins tested; it was able to fix complement in vitro. When injected intravenously into mice, the a-Gal Ab was found to mainly accumulate in kidneys, liver, spleen and lungs. No acute respiratory distress syndrome was observed shortly after the i.v. injection of 100 or 200 microg of antibodies. These doses of a-Gal Ab were also unable to induce acute glomerular injury. However, in primary cultures, the a-Gal Ab (100 or 200 microg per ml of medium) was shown to impair the attachment of mouse glomerular epithelial cells to mouse laminin and to elicit complement-dependent cell damage. The data indicate that the a-Gal Ab can interact in vitro and/or in vivo with alpha (1-->3)-linked galactosyl residues exposed on murine laminin or on murine cultured glomerular epithelial cells. Although this antibody fails to be pathogenic when administered at low doses in the intact animal, similar doses can alter some metabolic properties of these cells in vitro.