Immunoglobulin heavy chain transgenic mice expressing Galalpha(1,3)Gal-reactive antibodies

Natural antibodies that bind the carbohydrate antigen Galalpha1-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc-R (alphaGal) mediate rigorous rejection of porcine xenografts and represent a major immunological hurdle to successful discordant xenotransplantation. However, little is known about how production of antibodies specific for alphaGal is regulated.

Transgenic mice expressing an IgM heavy chain isolated from a B-cell hybridoma that produces antibodies specific for alphaGal were constructed. These mice were bred to mutant mice that lack the alphaGal epitope (GT0 mice) or wild-type (GT+) mice to generate animals in which the transgene is expressed in the presence or absence of alphaGal as a "self"-antigen. Development of transgene-expressing B cells and production of alphaGal-specific serum antibodies were then analyzed in transgenic mice on GT0 and GT+ backgrounds.

B cells expressing the transgenic heavy chain and transgene-encoded serum antibodies specific for alphaGal were readily detected in mice on the GT0 background. Most alphaGal-reactive antibodies in GT0 mice used the transgene rather than endogenous Ig heavy chains. In contrast, transgene-encoded serum antibodies specific for alphaGal were not detected in GT+ mice. In transgenic mice on the GT+ background, B cells expressing the transgene underwent deletion as a result of encountering alphaGal during their development, indicating that expression of alphaGal as part of self-mediated efficient negative selection of B cells expressing transgene-encoded alphaGal-specific antibodies.

The development of transgenic mice expressing a B cell receptor specific for alphaGal provides a novel system to study developmental regulation of B cells making carbohydrate-specific antibodies. In addition, these mice may be useful for examining methods to prevent production of alphaGal-reactive antibodies.