Deglycosylation of Serum Vitamin D3-Binding Protein by α-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase Detected in the Plasma of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Purified umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell treatment in a case of systemic lupus erythematosus

“…GcMAF is a serum glycoprotein which can be converted by beta-galactosidase of B cells and sialidase of T cells to a potent macrophage activating factor (MAF) [6]. Macrophage activating factor is a protein with an N-acetylgalactosamine sugar moiety attached.…”

Gc-Globulin: Roles in Response to Injury

“…Replacing Gc-MAF could restore the capability of macrophages to remove cancer cells (45 ) and could reverse the immunosuppression. The inactivation of Gc-MAF by a-N-acetylgalactosaminidase is also thought to be involved in the etiology of immunesuppressed conditions, such as HIV infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (46 ). Treatment of these patients with Gc-MAF to stimulate macrophages could offer a means of clearing immune complexes.…”

Vitamin D Binding Protein-Macrophage Activating Factor Directly Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and uPAR Expression of Prostate Cancer Cells

“…In lupus, autoantibodies form pathogenic immune complexes and are deposited in tissues. The clearance of these complexes by macrophages is inhibited if macrophage activation is disrupted [14]. Cancer cells have been shown to produce nagalase [15] and elevated concentrations in serum have been recorded in a number of cancer patients suffering from melanoma [16], prostate, colorectal, and metastatic breast cancer [7]–[9].…”