PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE GALECTIN-1 FROM GALECTIN-2 AND GALECTIN-3

Antisera raised against galectin-1 exhibit crossreactivities with othe r galectins or related molecules. In order to overcome this problem, a monoclonal antibody to human brain galectin-1 was obtained by selecti ng clones without reactivity toward galectin-3. This mAb specifically bound galectin-1 of various animal origins but neither galectin-2 nor galectin-3. Western-blotting analysis of soluble human brain extracts after 2D gel electrophoresis revealed only the two most acidic isoform s of galectin-1. The ability of this mAb to bind galectin-1/asialofetu in complexes indicates that its epitope is not localized in the carboh ydrate recognition domain of galectin-1. This particularity induces wi th efficiency its monospecificity.