Ailsworth Samuel M, MacCallum Matthew, Richards Nathan E, Workman Lisa J, Schoppee Bortz Pamela, Makin Thomas, Platts-Mills Thomas A E, Wilson Jeffrey M
Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1355, USA.
Antibodies (Basel). 2025 May 16;14(2):43. doi: 10.3390/antib14020043.
Antibodies to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), particularly the IgM and IgG isotypes, are abundant in human sera. These antibodies are known to be an important xenotransplantation barrier, but the full implications of these antibodies to health and disease remain incompletely understood. By contrast, IgE to alpha-gal is uncommon in the population but has been associated with tick bites and causally linked with mammalian meat allergy, often now known as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS). To date, there have been few population-based studies that have investigated alpha-gal IgG levels in relation to demographic factors, diet, tick bites, and mammalian meat allergy. Adults, predominantly healthcare workers, were recruited for a COVID-19 vaccine study. At least one serum sample was collected, and subjects completed questionnaires to provide demographic, diet, and tick exposure data. Alpha-gal IgG, IgE, and total IgG were measured using the ImmunoCAP platform, and blood group was assessed via reverse typing using stored serum. We also assessed alpha-gal IgG levels among subjects with AGS, recruited from an allergy clinic. The median age of the 267 subjects in the vaccine cohort was 42 years, and median alpha-gal IgG levels were 3.0 μg/mL. Alpha-gal IgG levels were higher among the 43 (16.1%) subjects who had alpha-gal IgE sensitization (≥0.1 IU/mL) and among subjects lacking the B blood group antigen (blood groups A and O). Alpha-gal IgG levels did not differ between the subjects who had asymptomatic alpha-gal IgE sensitization and those who had meat allergy. However, both groups had higher alpha-gal IgG levels than subjects who lacked alpha-gal IgE sensitization. Subjects who reported prior tick or chigger bites had higher alpha-gal IgG levels than those without a bite history, regardless of alpha-gal IgE sensitization status. In a population-based cohort, alpha-gal IgG antibodies were found to be prevalent, and levels were increased in subjects with blood groups A and O, subjects who were alpha-gal IgE sensitized, and those who reported a history of tick bites.
针对半乳糖-α-1,3-半乳糖（α-半乳糖）的抗体，尤其是IgM和IgG同种型，在人类血清中含量丰富。已知这些抗体是异种移植的重要屏障，但这些抗体对健康和疾病的全面影响仍未完全了解。相比之下，针对α-半乳糖的IgE在人群中并不常见，但与蜱虫叮咬有关，并与哺乳动物肉类过敏存在因果关系，现在通常称为α-半乳糖综合征（AGS）。迄今为止，很少有基于人群的研究调查α-半乳糖IgG水平与人口统计学因素、饮食、蜱虫叮咬和哺乳动物肉类过敏之间的关系。主要是医护人员的成年人被招募参加一项新冠疫苗研究。收集了至少一份血清样本，受试者填写问卷以提供人口统计学、饮食和蜱虫接触数据。使用免疫捕获平台测量α-半乳糖IgG、IgE和总IgG，并通过使用储存血清进行反向定型来评估血型。我们还评估了从过敏诊所招募的AGS患者的α-半乳糖IgG水平。疫苗队列中的267名受试者的中位年龄为42岁，中位α-半乳糖IgG水平为3.0μg/mL。在43名（16.1%）有α-半乳糖IgE致敏（≥0.1IU/mL）的受试者以及缺乏B血型抗原（A和O血型）的受试者中，α-半乳糖IgG水平较高。无症状α-半乳糖IgE致敏的受试者和有肉类过敏的受试者之间的α-半乳糖IgG水平没有差异。然而，这两组的α-半乳糖IgG水平均高于没有α-半乳糖IgE致敏的受试者。报告有蜱虫或恙螨叮咬史的受试者的α-半乳糖IgG水平高于没有叮咬史的受试者，无论其α-半乳糖IgE致敏状态如何。在一个基于人群的队列中，发现α-半乳糖IgG抗体普遍存在，并且在A和O血型的受试者、α-半乳糖IgE致敏的受试者以及报告有蜱虫叮咬史的受试者中水平升高。
