^ Hamsten C, Starkhammar M, Tran TA, Johansson M, Bengtsson U, Ahlén G, Sällberg M, Grönlund H, van Hage M (April 2013).^ 'Bad bite: Doctors see surge of sudden meat allergies caused by ticks that are spreading in US' USNews, July 7, 2014.'Discovery of Alpha-Gal-Containing Antigens in North American Tick Species Believed to Induce Red Meat Allergy'. Choudhary, Shailesh Dharmarajan, Guha Azadi, Parastoo Karim, Shahid (). 'P112 Correlation between clinical findings and laboratory tests for alpha gal sensitivity'. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects. 'The Galalpha1,3Galbeta1,4GlcNAc-R (alpha-Gal) epitope: a carbohydrate of unique evolution and clinical relevance'. ^ Macher, BA Galili, U (February 2008).'Renal xenografts from triple-transgenic pigs are not hyperacutely rejected but cause coagulopathy in non-immunosuppressed baboons'. ^ Cowan PJ, Aminian A, Barlow H, Brown AA, Chen CG, Fisicaro N, Francis DM, Goodman DJ, Han W, Kurek M, Nottle MB, Pearse MJ, Salvaris E, Shinkel TA, Stainsby GV, Stewart AB, d'Apice AJ (June 2000).Loss of α-gal during primate evolution enhanced antibody-effector function and resistance to bacterial sepsis. R., Rebelo, S., Cardoso, S., Gjini, E., Nuñez, G., & Soares, M. A., Yilmaz, B., Li, H., Weis, S., Sobral, D., Truglio, M., Aires da Silva, F., Aguiar, S., Carlos, A. Human reaction to alpha-gal has beneficial uses as a vaccine adjuvant and for enhancing wound healing. It could be useful for xenotransplantation in the future. Ī bacterial alpha-galactosidase that efficiently removes linear alpha-gal ends from molecules has been identified. Recent studies are showing increasing evidence that this allergy may be induced by the bite of the lone star tick ( Amblyomma americanum) in North America and the castor bean tick ( Ixodes ricinus) in Sweden. While this allergic response is quite well documented, there is significant discrepancy between laboratory tests and clinical findings, indicating that much research must still be done on the alpha gal mechanism of action and related tests. Alpha gal has also been suggested to play a role in an IgE-specific allergic response to some meats. Regular stimulation from gut flora, typically initiated within the first six months of life, leads to an exceptionally high titre of around 1% of all circulating IgG. Īnti-alpha gal immunoglobulin G antibodies are some of the most common in humans. Their immune systems recognize it as a foreign body and produce xenoreactive immunoglobulin M antibodies, leading to organ rejection after transplantation.

It is not found in catarrhines, including humans, who have lost the GGTA1 gene. Galactose- alpha-1,3-galactose, commonly known as alpha gal and the Galili antigen, is a carbohydrate found in most mammalian cell membranes.

Alpha gal syndrome