Characterization of sheep erythrocyte glycosphingolipids recognized by human anti-Forssman antibodies.
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ABSTRACT: The FORS histo-blood group system is the most recently discovered carbohydrate-based human blood group system. FORS is a rare blood group system, and most individuals have naturally occurring anti-FORS1 antibodies in plasma. Screening for anti-FORS1 antibodies is often done by hemagglutination assays using FORS1-expressing sheep erythrocytes, since FORS1-positive human erythrocytes are most often not available. Here, we have characterized the non-acid glycosphingolipids from sheep erythrocytes and isolated subfractions, with mass spectrometry, binding of antibodies and lectins, and by enzymatic hydrolysis. This demonstrated the presence of Forssman and Galili pentaosylceramides, and a Galili heptaosylceramide. Two complex glycosphingolipids recognized by human anti-FORS1 antibodies were characterized as a Forssman neolacto hybrid hexaosylceramide (GalNAc?3GalNAc?3Gal?4GlcNAc?3Gal?4Glc?1Cer) and a Forssman Galili hybrid heptaosylceramide (GalNAc?3GalNAc?3Gal?3Gal?4GlcNAc?3Gal?4Glc?1Cer). These are novel glycosphingolipid structures, and to our knowledge, the first case of an elongated Galili antigen. Thus, the anti-Forssman antibodies in human serum bind not only to the classical Forssman pentaosylceramide (GalNAc?3GalNAc?3Gal?4Gal?4Glc?1Cer), but also when the GalNAc?3GalNAc?3 sequence is presented on a neolacto core chain and even on a Galili carbohydrate sequence.
SUBMITTER: Santos L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7581655 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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