Characteristic expression of glycosphingolipid profiles in the bipotential cell differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60

Changes of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in the bipotential cell differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 cells were investigated by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), with special reference to morphological and functional changes, such as phagocytosis and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. Nine molecular species of neutral GSLs and 13 or more species of sialo-GSLs, ie, gangliosides, were detected on the HPTLC chromatograms for untreated HL-60 cells. The major components were ceramide dihexoside (CDH), GM3, and sialo-paragloboside (SPG). When HL-60 cells were induced to differentiate into both myeloid mature cells and macrophage-like cells in vitro, no new molecular species of GSLs specific for one of the cell differentiations was induced, but distinctive quantitative changes in the GSL composition were definitely observed between the two cell differentiations. During the myeloid differentiation induced by either dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or retinoic acid (RA), CDH, paragloboside (PG), and gangliosides having longer sugar moieties characteristically increased with a concomitant decrease of GSLs with shorter sugar chains, such as ceramide monohexoside (CMH) and GM3, and the GSL composition profile of myeloid differentiation-induced HL-60 cells became more similar to that of normal human granulocytes. However, some marked differences were noted between the induced HL-60 cells and the normal granulocytes, especially in the ganglioside compositions. These differences might reflect either some deficiency in the in vitro myeloid differentiation or some leukemic properties of HL-60 cells. In marked contrast to the change of GSL composition during myeloid differentiation, a remarkable increase of GM3, with a concurrent marked decrease of CDH, was observed in the process of cell differentiation into macrophage-like cells with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), which suggested an increase in the biosynthesis of GM3. These results demonstrate that HL-60 cells express distinct GSL profiles, depending not only on maturation stages but also on differentiation directions.

Localization of globoside and Forssman glycolipids on erythrocyte membranes

Using the freeze-etch technique, the membrane localization of globoside, a principal glycolipid in human erythrocytes, and Forssman antigen, the chief glycolipid in sheep erythrocytes was evaluated using ferritin and colloidal gold as morphological markers for rabbit antibodies prepared against these glycolipids. Brief trypsinization of human red cell ghosts markedly aggregated intramembranous particles and permitted labeling of globoside, which appeared in a clustered arrangement. The aggregates of ferritin-anti-globoside differed from those of ferritin-wheat germ agglutinin, a label for glycophorin, which corresponded with the aggregates of intramembranous particles. Double-labeling of human trypsinized ghosts with anti-globoside/ Staphylococcal protein A-colloidal gold and ferritin-wheat germ agglutinin indicated that the patterns of labeling were different and that the aggregates of globoside did not bear a direct relationship to the intramembranous particles, which represent transmembrane proteins. Resealed sheep erythrocyte ghosts labeled with ferritin-conjugated rabbit anti-Forssman showed small clusters of Forssman glycolipid on the erythrocyte surface, which could be markedly aggregated with a second goat anti-rabbit antibody, indicating relative mobility of the small glycolipid domains. The distribution of ferritin-anti-Forssman label in sheep ghosts treated at pH 5.5 to aggregate intramembranous particles also did not show definite correspondence between intramembranous particles and the clusters of ferritin-anti-Forssman.

New globoseries glycosphingolipids in human teratocarcinoma reactive with the monoclonal antibody directed to a developmentally regulated antigen, stage-specific embryonic antigen 3

Glycolipids in a cultured human teratocarcinoma cell line (2102Ep) were investigated. The major glycolipids in these cells are globoseries glycolipids having the following structures: (formula; see text) Synthesis of these structures by serial addition of galactose, fucose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid to globoside (Gb4) in this teratocarcinoma is obvious, although further elongation of Gb4 in human cells and tissues has not been previously found with the exception of the presence of a small quantity of Forssman glycolipid in some tissues in the human population (Fs+ group) and in some human cancers. The latter four glycolipids (b-e), with the common internal structure R leads to 3GalNAc beta 1 leads to 3Gal alpha 1 leads to 4R', were all reactive to a monoclonal antibody directed to the 4- to 8-cell stage of murine embryos, known as the stage-specific embryonic antigen 3 (SSEA-3 (Shevinsky, L. H., Knowles, B. B., Damjanov, I., and Solter, D. (1982) Cell 30, 697-705]; structure (c) showed the strongest reactivity. These findings, together with the demonstration of the glycolipid nature of SSEA-1 antigen (Kannagi, R., Nudelman, E., Levery, S. B., and Hakomori, S. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14865-14874), indicate that cell surface glycolipids play significant roles as differentiation antigens during the course of embryogenesis.

Characterization of glycosphingolipids from cells of various types of human leukemia: occurrence of two glycosphingolipids, one reacting with anti-asialo GM1 antibody and one with anti-Forssman antibody

Glycosphingolipids of neutrophils, lymphocytes and leukocytes from patients with various types of human leukemia [acute lymphoblastic (ALL), acute unclassified type (AUL), acute myeloblastic (AML), acute monocytic (AMoL), chronic myeloblastic (CML)] and the hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) were analyzed chemically and immunochemically. No distinct difference was found in the molar ratio of lipid-bound sialic acid to lipid-bound phosphorus in these cells, but a low ratio of cholesterol to lipid-bound phosphorus was found in ALL (3 of 4 cases), AML, CML and AMoL (one of 2 cases). The predominant glycosphingolipid was ceramide dihexoside (CDH) in all cells analyzed, but the amount and the molar ratio of lipid-bound phosphorus to CDH were clearly different in different cell types, indicating that the molar ratio is a useful criterion in the classification of types of leukemia. In addition, molecular diversity of minor glycosphingolipid components was observed in various leukemic cells. Two of the neutral glycosphingolipids in AMoL were tentatively identified as asialo GM1 and Forssman glycolipids by comparing their mobilities on thin-layer chromatography with those of standard glycolipids and by observing the formation of precipitin lines on a double diffusion agar plate with anti-asialo GM1 and anti-Forssman antibodies.

Neutral glycosphingolipids of murine myeloma cells and helper, cytolytic, and suppressor T lymphocytes

Functionally defined clones and lines of murine lymphocytes including myelomas, helper, suppressor and cytolytic T lymphocytes were analyzed for their glycosphingolipids (GSLs). GSLs were characterized by thin-layer chromatography and by high-performance liquid chromatography. Lymphocytes with different functions displayed, besides a number of common GSLs, some characteristic GSLs that may be regarded as markers. Globotriaosylceramide was found on myelomas and B blasts, whereas globotetraosylceramide was confined to helper T cells. All T cells including cytolytic T lymphocytes displayed gangliotetraosylceramide (asialo-GM1) as a major GSL, which was further characterized by sequential degradation with exoglycosidases.

Biochemical studies in Niemann-Pick disease. I. Major sphingolipids of liver and spleen

In liver and spleen specimens of 12 patients with Niemann-Pick disease types A or B, sphingomyelin was increased 15-45-fold, total phospholipids 4-10-fold and cholesterol 3-6-fold over the normal values. The storage pattern was qualitatively similar in both types but the degree of accumulation was less in type B. In Niemann-Pick disease type C (16 cases), sphingomyelin was increased 3.5-fold in liver and 6-fold in spleen. In all forms of Niemann-Pick disease, bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate was markedly elevated. Glycosphingolipids were studied in six cases with type C, three cases with type B and two cases with type A. Glucosylceramide showed the largest increase from the normal pattern in all types of Niemann-Pick disease. Highest values were recorded in type C, 14- and 35-fold normal concentrations in liver and spleen, respectively. Other neutral glycosphingolipids, particularly lactosylceramide, were also elevated, and a 2-4-fold increase of ganglioside GM3 occurred. The fatty acid profiles of the sphingolipids showed only minor alterations. In contrast to the largely dominating sphingomyelin storage found in liver and spleen of Niemann-Pick disease types A and B, the major characteristic of the lipid storage in Niemann-Pick disease type C was the absence of any prevailing accumulation and, thus, the concept of this disorder as a primary sphingomyelin storage disease is not founded.

Chemical characterization of penta-, hexa-, hepta-, octa-, and nonaglycosylceramides of rat small intestine having a globoside-like terminus

A novel series of glycosphingolipids has been isolated from the nonepithelial part of rat small intestine. A mixed fraction containing 3 major components corresponding to glycolipids with 5, 6, and 7 sugars and 2 minor components with 8 and 9 sugars was characterized. The structure of the major components was deduced by mass spectrometry and proton NMR spectroscopy of nondegraded permethylated and permethylated-reduced (LiAlH4) derivatives and gas-liquid chromatography of degradation products of native, permethylated, and permethylated-reduced glycolipids. The structures of the penta-, hexa-, and hepta-glycosylceramides were found to be GalNAcp beta 1 leads to (3Galp alpha 1 leads to)2-44Galp beta 1 leads to 4Glcp beta 1 leads to 1Cer. By analogy reasoning, supported by mass spectrometry, the octa- and nonaglycosylceramides were concluded to have 1 and 2 additional internal leads to 3Galp alpha 1 leads to 3 structures, respectively. A pentaglycosylceramide fraction from another rat strain was also isolated. The NMR spectra were in agreement with 2 isomeric structures of which 1 had the internal alpha 1 leads to 4 linkage replaced by an alpha 1 leads to 3 linkage. The fatty acids of all components were nonhydroxy 16:0 to 24:0 acids with the 18:0 homologue as dominating species. The major base was sphingosine and possibly monohydroxy 18:1 base in the larger glycolipids. This is a novel series of structures with a terminal saccharide identical with isoglobotetraoxylceramide (cytolipin R). The glycosyltransferase for the terminal GalNAc beta 1 leads to 3 of cytolipin R may possibly be identical with the enzyme adding the terminal sugar of this novel series. This is supported by the presence in the same tissue of probable precursor glycolipids with 4 to 8 hexoses.

Characterization of glycosphingolipids by direct inlet chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Permethylated derivatives of cerebrosides and ceramide di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-hexosides were analyzed by the direct inlet ammonia chemical ionization (CI) mass spectrometry. In the CI mass spectra, the fragment ions produced by the loss of methanol from the protonated molecular ion were observed in all of the glycosphingolipids. Other fragment ions due to the cleavage of glycosidic moiety were major ones under the CI conditions. These ions provide information on the molecular species of glycosphingolipids and the sugar sequence of their oligosaccharides. Glycosphingolipids with hydroxy fatty acids could also be differentiated from those with nonhydroxy fatty acids by comparing the intensities of characteristic fragment ions. The CI method should be particularly useful in structural studies of glycosphingolipids from natural sources.

Notes on improved procedures for the chemical modification and degradation of glycosphingolipids

Some simplified and efficient procedures are described for the following chemical modifications of glycophingolipids. 1) The olefinic bond of the ceramide moiety of the acetylated glycolipid was quantitatively oxidized with osmium tetroxide and periodic acid. Treatment of the resulting glycolipid aldehyde with sodium methodixe resulted in the release of the intact oligosaccharide. The yield of oligosaccharides under the new conditions was much higher than previously found. 2) The olefinic bond was also oxidized to a carboxyl function by either of two methods: a) the aldehyde group resulting from the above oxidation was further oxidized with performic acid; and b) the olefinic bond of the fully acetylated glycolipid was oxidized directly to the acid by potassium permanganate in acetone. 3) The methyl ester of the carboxyl group of the sialic acid in gangliosides can be formed with diazomethane in methanol-ether after treatment of the gangliosides with Dowex-50 (H+ form). Possible uses of these glycolipid modifications are discussed.

Gangliosides and neutral glycolipids of human adrenal medulla

Glycolipids were isolated from human adrenal medulla by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 and Iatrobeads column chromatography. The lipid-bound sialic acid was about 234 microgram/g fresh tissue. The glanglioside fraction contained two major gangliosides which accounted for 93% of the total lipid-bound sialic acid. They were identified as GM3, N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide and GD3, N-acetylneuraminyl N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide on the basis of cochromatography with authentic standards, sugar composition analysis, and neuraminidase digestion. GM3, N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide and GD3, N-acetylneuraminyl N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide occurred in a ratio of approximately 3 : 2, and the ratio seemed to be rather constant irrelevant of age and sex differences. The neutral glycolipid fraction consisted of GL1a, glucosylceramide (18%), GL1b, galactosylceramide (23%), GL2a, lactosylceramide (27%), GL3, digalactosylglucosylceramide (20%), and GL4, globoside (12%). The major fatty acids of all these glycolipids were 16 : 0, 18 : 0, 22 : 0, 24 : 0 and 24 :1.

Krabbe disease: a galactosylsphingosine (psychosine) lipidosis

The primary genetic defect underlying Krabbe disease or globoid cell leukodystrophy is considered to be a deficiency of galactosylceramide-beta-galactosidase. In the present study of the brains from 18 patients who had died from Krabbe disease at 7-37 months of age, the concentration of galactosylceramide of cerebral and cerebellar white matter was severely reduced to 10-20% of that in age-matched controls. The lowest values were found in the most long-standing cases. Lactosylceramide was reduced to about 50% of normal, while globotriaosylceramide, blobotetraosylceramide and III3-alpha-fucosylneolactotetraosylceramide were increased 10 to 100-fold. Two glycosphingolipids, which have never before been isolated from normal human brains were now isolated and characterized: galactosylsphingosine (psychosine) and galactosyl beta 1 leads to 4 galactosylceramide. We were unable to identify galactosylsphingosine in normal human brains with certainty. We estimate its concentration in the cerebral white matter in Krabbe disease to be increased at least 100-fold (higher than normal). Psychosine was isolated also from the cerebral cortex in Psychosine was isolated also from the cerebral cortex in Krabbe disease after derivatization to the N-acetyl form. Its concentration there was 1 nmol/g tissue compared with 6-10 nmol/g in the white matter. All the neutral glycosphingolipids were isolated and their structure proved by the quantitative determination of their components, degradation by acid and specific glycohydrolases and permethylation and gas-liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay of the methylated sugars. The paradoxical findings of a severely reduced concentration of galactosylceramide and a primary deficiency of cerebroside-beta-galactosidase can be explained by the present finding of the accumulation of galactosylsphingosine in the brains from patients who had died from Krabbe disease. The enzyme has a broad specificity and it normally also degrades galactosylsphingosine. Because of competitive inhibition by the accumulated galactosylceramide its lysosomal hydrolysis will be blocked. The concentration of psychosine will steadily increase and reach toxic levels and kill the oligodendroglial cells. This results in an arrest of the galactosylceramide biosynthesis. Therefore, we feel that galactosylsphingosine and not galactosylceramide is the primary storage substance in the brain in Krabbe disease that the disease is a psychosine lipidosis.

Consecutive analysis of sphingoglycolipids on the basis of sugar and ceramide moieties by high performance liquid chromatography

A quantitative consecutive method was developed for analysis of sphingoglycolipids in biological materials by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Crude lipid extracts were separated into neutral and acidic fractions on a DEAE-Sephadex column. Glycolipid fractions were obtained by acetylation and Florisil column chromatography, and the acetylated glycolipids were N-p-nitrobenzoylated by treatment with p-nitrobenzoyl chloride in pyridine at 60 degrees C for 6 h. Excess reagent and by-products were removed by solvent partition and gel filtration. The glycolipid derivatives were analyzed by their absorption at 254 nm on Zorbax SIL, a silica gel column, with a gradient of 0.5--7% isopropanol in hexane-chloroform (2 : 1, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. The detector response was linear with up to 60 nmol of injected glycolipids. The practical lower limit of detection was about 50 pmol. The derivatives were separated on the basis of their sugar chains. Effluents corresponding to each peak were collected and analyzed further on the basis of their lipid portion on mu-Bondapak C18, a reversed phase column. This combined procedure was applied to the analysis of erythrocyte glycolipids. Samples containing as little as 20 micrograms of glycolipids could be analyzed by this method.

[Study on glycolipids in human lung carcinoma of histologically different types (author's transl)]

Human lung carcinoma tissues with histological types of adenocarcinoma, squamous cell and small cell undifferentiated carcinomas were investigated for glycolipids. Carcinoma tissues, as well as normal adult and embryonic lungs contained ceramide mono-, di- and trihexosides, globoside and hematoside as major glycolipids. In addition to them, sulfatide which was identified as ceramide 3-sulfate-galactoside, was isolated in much lesser amount. The content of sulfatide was markedly increased in adenocarcinoma than that in other carcinomas and normal lung. Adenocarcinoma was also characterized by significantly lower level of total glycolipids which was largely due to the diminished contents of ceramide mono- and dihexosides, and hematoside, as compared to those in other two carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinoma had a characteristic pattern with an increment of hematoside. In small cell undifferentiated carcinoma, glycolipid contents were similar with those in squamous cell carcinoma but the relative composition of major glycolipids was markedly differed from that in other types. All the types of carcinoma examined showed marked increase of ceramide mono- and dihexosides (except for ceramide dihexoside in adenocarcinoma) compared to those in normal adult lung. Overall feature of glycolipids in embryonic lung appeared to be an intermediate between carcinomas and normal adult lung.

Isolation and partial characterization of the neutral glycosphingolipids and gangliosides of the human heart

The glycosphingolipids (GSL) of the human heart muscle have been isolated from total lipids by column and thin layer chromatography and their sugars and fatty acids analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. Hearts from traffic victims were obtained at autopsy between 12 and 16 hr after death and dissected into parts (left and right ventricular walls, intraventricular septum and papillary muscle). The neutral GSL content for those parts of the hearts of two males aged 22 and one female aged 14 ranged from about 90 to 160 nmoles/g wet weight. Trihexosyl ceramide and globoside were the most abundant neutral GSL. Total ganglioside content was about 50 nmoles/g wet weight, and the most abundant gangliosides were partially characterized as GM3 and GM1; other mono-, di- and trisialogangliosides were also present. Differences in the content and composition of neutral GSL and gangliosides between the heart and other human tissues are discussed. It is concluded that the patterns of these two GSL fractions of the heart are more complex than those of the extraneural human tissues.

Disialosyl paragloboside. A novel ganglioside isolated from human kidney

A ceramide hexasaccharide was purified from the gangliosides of human kidney. Its structure was studied by methylation analysis, neuraminidase treatment, weak acid hydrolysis and chromium trioxide oxidation. The structure is suggested to be a disialosyl derivative of paragloboside: formula: (see text) Data indicating the possible existence of a corresponding trisialosyl derivative are also presented.