α-Gal-Based Vaccines: Advances, Opportunities, and Perspectives

Humans and crown catarrhines evolved with the inability to synthesize the oligosaccharide galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-Gal). In turn, they naturally produce high quantities of the glycan-specific antibodies that can be protective against infectious agents exhibiting the same carbohydrate modification on their surface coat. The protective immunity induced by alpha-Gal is ensured through an antibody-mediated adaptive and cell-mediated innate immune response. Therefore, the alpha-Gal antigen represents an attractive and feasible target for developing glycan-based vaccines against multiple diseases. In this review article we provide an insight into our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the protective immunity to alpha-Gal and discuss the possibilities and challenges in developing a single-antigen pan-vaccine for prevention and control of parasitic diseases of medical and veterinary concern.

Oklahoma State University
Paris Est Univ
INRAE
Instituto de investigation en Recursos Cinegeticos
Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)