Custom Anti-Sialic Acid Antibody Development Service
Sialic acids are a diverse family of nine-carbon acidic monosaccharides typically found at the outermost position of glycan chains on the cell surface. They play pivotal roles in a myriad of biological processes, including cell-cell recognition, pathogen binding, and immune regulation. Aberrant sialylation, such as the overexpression of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) or the presence of the non-human immunogenic N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), is a hallmark of various cancers and autoimmune diseases. Creative Biolabs leverages advanced glycobiology platforms to develop high-affinity, specific antibodies against these subtle targets.
The Complexity of Sialic Acid Targets
Unlike protein antigens, sialic acids present unique structural challenges. The difference between the common human sialic acid (Neu5Ac) and the non-human form (Neu5Gc) is a single oxygen atom. Furthermore, the biological function of sialic acid is often dictated by its linkage to the underlying sugar—typically galactose (Gal) or N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). Distinguishing between α2,3-linked and α2,6-linked sialic acids is crucial for understanding viral tropism (e.g., Influenza) and tumor metastasis.
Why is this difficult?
- Immune Tolerance: Sialic acids are abundant self-antigens in mammals. Standard immunization often fails to elicit a response due to host tolerance.
- Linkage Specificity: Generating antibodies that bind exclusively to α2,3-linked or α2,6-linked sialic acids requires precise immunogen design and rigorous screening.
- Neu5Ac vs. Neu5Gc: Cross-reactivity between these two forms is common and detrimental for diagnostic or therapeutic applications.
Our Solutions: Breaking Tolerance & Ensuring Specificity
Precision Immunogen Design
We utilize chemical synthesis and enzymatic elongation to create defined sialyl-oligosaccharides. These are conjugated to immunogenic carriers (KLH, DT, BSA) using proprietary linkers that expose the specific linkage geometry (e.g., Neu5Acα2,6-Gal) while masking the core structure to prevent non-specific binding.
Tolerance-Breaking Immunization
We employ specialized adjuvant systems and immunization protocols in knockout mice (e.g., Cmah-/- mice for Neu5Gc targets) or autoimmune-prone strains to overcome natural tolerance to sialylated structures.
Sialoside Microarray Screening
Specificity is validated using our specialized Sialoside Microarray platform containing hundreds of defined sialylated structures. This allows us to select clones that bind the target linkage (e.g., α2,3-linked) while rejecting closely related isomers (e.g., α2,6-linked).
Service Portfolio
| Target Category | Description | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Neu5Gc Antibodies | Antibodies specific for N-glycolylneuraminic acid, a dietary xeno-antigen accumulated in tumors. | Cancer diagnostics, serum profiling, biotherapeutic safety (checking for Neu5Gc contamination). |
| Anti-Neu5Ac Antibodies | Antibodies targeting the abundant human sialic acid form or its overexpression. | General sialylation monitoring, inflammation studies. |
| Linkage-Specific Antibodies | Reagents distinguishing α2,3-sialylgalactose from α2,6-sialylgalactose. | Influenza virus research, tumor phenotyping, tissue staining. |
| Anti-Polysialic Acid (PSA) | Antibodies against long chains of α2,8-linked sialic acid (typically on NCAM). | Neurobiology, small cell lung cancer markers, neural development. |
Development Workflow
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Service Highlights
High-Throughput Screening
Advanced glycan array technology for rapid, high-specificity clone selection.
Customization
Tailored immunogen design and screening protocols for your specific target.
Competitive Pricing
Cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality or specificity.
Global Support
Dedicated scientific support from PhD-level experts throughout your project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you generate antibodies that distinguish Neu5Ac from Neu5Gc?
Yes. This is one of our specialties. By using highly purified synthetic antigens and knockout mouse strains (which lack the enzyme to make Neu5Gc and thus recognize it as foreign), we can generate antibodies with high specificity for Neu5Gc that do not cross-react with human Neu5Ac.
Do you offer antibodies for Polysialic Acid (PSA)?
Yes, we develop antibodies against homopolymers of α2,8-linked sialic acid. These are critical for studying neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) polysialylation in neurobiology and cancer.
What antibody formats are available?
We can develop full-length IgG (mouse, rabbit, human), IgM (often good for carbohydrate avidity), or recombinant fragments like scFv and Fab.
How do you validate linkage specificity?
We use a glycan microarray containing defined standards of α2,3-linked and α2,6-linked sialosides. This provides a quantitative profile of the antibody's binding preference.