Monoclonal antibodies targeting GD2 ganglioside (GD2) have recently been approved for the treatment of high risk neuroblastoma and are extensively evaluated in clinics in other indications. This study illustrates how a therapeutic antibody distinguishes between different types of gangliosides present on normal and cancer cells and informs how synthetic peptides can imitate ganglioside in its bi...

The direct binding of bacteria to human platelets contributes to the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. Platelet binding by Streptococcus mitis strain SF100 is mediated in part by two bacteriophage-encoded proteins, PblA and PblB. However, the platelet membrane receptor for these adhesins has been unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that these proteins mediate attachment of bacterial ce...

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most potent toxins to mammals. A toxoid vaccine was previously used for prevention of botulinum intoxication; however, this vaccine is no longer available. Currently, no approved botulinum vaccines are available from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recently, a recombinant host cell receptor-binding subunit created for use as a potential vaccine comp...

The disialogangliosides GD2 and GD3 play a major role in the ability of human melanoma cells to attach to Arg-Gly-Asp-containing substrates such as fibronectin and vitronectin, since pretreatment of these cells with monoclonal antibodies to the oligosaccharide of GD2 and GD3 can inhibit their attachment and spreading on such adhesive proteins. This report demonstrates that human melanoma cells ...

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the first line treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome and multifocal motor neuropathy, which are caused by anti-ganglioside antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity. IVIG has many potential mechanisms of action, and sialylation of the IgG Fc portion reportedly has an anti-inflammatory effect in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity models. ...

Immunotherapy is a growing field in cancer research. A privileged tumor-associated antigen that has received much attention is N-glycolyl (NeuGc) GM3. This ganglioside is present in several types of cancer, but is almost undetectable in human healthy tissues. However, its non-hydroxylated variant, NeuAc GM3, is abundant in all mammals. Due to a deletion in the human gene encoding the key enzyme...

Bacterial magnetosomes, because of their nano-scale size, have a large surface-to-volume ratio and are able to carry large quantities of bioactive substances such as enzymes, antibodies, and genes. Gangliosides, a family of sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, function as distinctive cell surface markers and as specific determinants in cellular recognition and cell-to-cell communication. ...

Isolated acute bulbar palsy has been described as one of the more rare variants of Guillain-Barré syndrome. IgG anti-ganglioside antibodies are associated with axonal subtypes of Guillain-Barré syndrome as well as Fisher syndrome. However, IgG against GM3 and GT1b in relation to bulbar palsy is uncommon. In this case report, we describe a 64 year-old male patient presenting with isolated bulbar...