OLIGOCLONAL BETA-GALACTOSIDE-BINDING IMMUNOGLOBULINS ANTIGENICALLY RELATED TO 14KDA LECTIN IN HYMAN SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID - PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

1. An antiserum raised against a 14kDa beta-galactoside specific lecti n from human brain (HBL14) was used to probe blots from samples of ser um and cerebrospinal fluid. The only HBL14-immunoreactive material det ected was heavy and light chains of a beta-galactoside-binding IgG fra ction (lectin-like IgG). 2. Lectin-like IgG, as well as IgG Fab fragme nts, compete with HBL14 for binding either to anti-HBL14 antibody or t o a lactosyl polyacrylamide-based copolymer. 3. Purification of lectin -like IgG was obtained by affinity chromatography on immobilized rabbi t anti-lectin immunoglobulins. The carbohydrate-binding specificity of the purified molecules was restricted to beta-Gal-containing structur es and close to the HBL14 one.