Tumor ganglioside - natural occurrence of GM1b

The Structural Diversity of Natural Glycosphingolipids (GSLs)

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are a subclass of glycolipids made of a glycan and a ceramide that, in turn, is composed of a sphingoid base moiety and a fatty acyl group. GSLs represent the vast majority of glycolipids in eukaryotes, and as an essential component of the cell membrane, they play an important role in many biological and pathological processes. Therefore, they are useful targets for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods for human diseases. Since sphingosine was first described by J. L. Thudichum in 1884, several hundred GSL species, not including their diverse lipid forms that can further amplify the number of individual GSLs by many folds, have been isolated from natural sources and structurally characterized. This review tries to provide a comprehensive survey of the major GSL species, especially those with distinct glycan structures and modification patterns, and the ceramides with unique modifications of the lipid chains, that have been discovered to date. In particular, this review is focused on GSLs from eukaryotic species. This review has listed 251 GSL glycans with different linkages, 127 glycans with unique modifications, 46 sphingoids, and 43 fatty acyl groups. It should be helpful for scientists who are interested in GSLs, from isolation and structural analyses to chemical and enzymatic syntheses, as well as their biological studies and applications.

Large scale biosynthesis of ganglioside analogues by RERF-LC-AI cells cultured in HYPERFlask

The efficient production of ganglioside analogues was accomplished using RERF-LC-AI cells cultured in HYPERFlask (High Yield PERformance Flask). Eight kinds of ganglioside analogues (GM3, GM2, sialylparagloboside, GD3, di-sialylated lacto-N-tetraose, and another three kinds of analogues with intricate structures) were synthesized by the saccharide primer method using lung squamous-cell carcinoma line RERF-LC-AI and 12-azidododecyl β-lactoside primer. The yield for each analogue obtained using HYPERFlask was higher than yields obtained from 100-mm dishes.

A distinct ganglioside composition of rat pancreatic islets

Gangliosides in rat pancreatic tissue and isolated pancreatic islets were examined by methods including glycolipid-overlay techniques. The content of gangliosides in isolated pancreatic islets was approximately 6-fold higher than that in pancreatic tissue when compared on a protein basis. While N-glycolylneuraminic acid amounted to 7.2% of total lipid-bound sialic acids of pancreatic tissue, this molecular species was not detected in that of pancreatic islets. A remarkable difference in ganglioside composition was observed between pancreatic tissue and pancreatic islets. Pancreatic tissue showed a complex ganglioside pattern with GM3 as the largest ganglioside component, whereas isolated pancreatic islets had a simpler ganglioside profile without detectable amounts of GM3 and some other components. Pancreatic gangliosides were further examined by thin-layer chromatographic immunostaining with a monoclonal antibody A2B5 that reacts specifically with c-series gangliosides. Pancreatic tissue and pancreatic islets showed almost identical ganglioside patterns consisting of GT3, GT2, GQ1c, and GP1c. The concentration of c-series gangliosides in pancreatic islets was calculated to be more than 250-fold higher than that of pancreatic tissue. These results shows that pancreatic islet cells have a distinct ganglioside composition in rat pancreas.

The chemical constitution of gangliosides of the vertebrate nervous system

Glycosphingolipids are uniquely distinguished amongst the glycoconjugates by the apparently systematic structuring of their ceramide-linked carbohydrate moieties. These often highly complex oligosaccharides provide a structural repertoire that may vary considerably according to cell types and animal species. However, as a possible reflection of their specific functional role in the central nervous system, the brain glycosphingolipids of all vertebrates follow the same principles of carbohydrate structuring with only minor variations: the anabolically early addition of sialic acid to lactosylceramide (Gal beta 4Glc beta Cer-->NeuAc alpha 3Gal beta 4Glc beta Cer) in central nervous tissue results in the preferential formation of 'gangliosides', i.e., sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids. Higher gangliosides result from extensions of sialo-lactosylceramide by addition of nucleotide-activated monosaccharides. In consequence, gangliosides of the vertebrate central nervous system consist of ceramide-linked sialo-oligosaccharides of varying chain length with a ganglio-series core carbohydrate, i.e., GalNAc beta 4Gal beta 3GalNAc beta 4Gal beta 4Glc beta < 0. Substitution by mono-, bis-, or tris-sialo-groups may variably be at the galactoside- and N-acetylgalactosaminide residues in 3- and 6-positions of the ganglio-series oligosaccharides, respectively. Ganglioside, which is derived by sialylation of galactosylceramide, NeuAc alpha 3Gal beta Cer, is a characteristic constituent of glial cells. In nerve tissue, gangliosides of the lacto-(Gal beta(3GlcNAc beta 3Gal beta)n4Glc beta <) and the neolacto-series (Gal beta(4GlcNAc beta 3Gal beta)n4Glc <) are more characteristic of vertebrate peripheral nerves and neuroectoderm-derived tumours. Recent studies using monoclonal antibodies have revealed that various single ganglioside components are specifically distributed in nervous tissues. This finding adds a new dimension to the earlier notion that gangliosides are involved in membrane related phenomena including cell to cell interactions, as well as, the modulation of signalling mechanisms.

beta 1-4N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase can synthesize both asialoglycosphingolipid GM2 and glycosphingolipid GM2 in vitro and in vivo: isolation and characterization of a beta 1-4N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase cDNA clone from rat ascites hepatoma cell line AH7974F

We have cloned a cDNA encoding beta 1-4N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.92) (GalNAc-T) from rat ascites hepatoma of the free-cell type AH7974F. The cell line only expressed asialo-series glycosphingolipids (GSLs) including asialo-GM2 [Taki, T., Hirabayashi, Y., Ishiwata, Y., Matsumoto, M., and Kojima, K. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 572, 113-120]. The cDNA, pGNA56, was isolated by screening AH7974F cDNA library in lambda gt10 with a probe. The probe was obtained from AH7974F cDNA by PCR using primers with the nucleotide sequence of the human GalNAc-T cDNA. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of pGNA56 exhibited 88% similarity to the human GalNAc-T sequence. The enzyme was a typical type II membrane protein, which consisted of a short N-terminal residue, a transmembrane region, and a long C-terminal residue, including the catalytic domain. The substrate specificity of rat GalNAc-T was determined using homogenates from cells into which the cDNA clone was transfected. The enzyme catalysed not only the formation of GM2 and GD2 from GM3 and GD3 respectively, but also asialo-GM2 from CDH. It also acted on GSL substrates, including GM1b, sialylparagloboside and GD1 alpha. On the other hand, the enzyme did not transfer GalNAc to soluble substrates such as glycoproteins and oligosaccharide. The GSL compositional and immunocytochemical analyses of stable transfectants obtained by transfection of the cDNA showed simultaneous expression of asialo-GM2 and GM2 on the plasma membrane. Therefore, we concluded that the formation of asialo-GM2, GM2 and GD2 was catalysed by the single GalNAc-T. Northern-blot hybridization showed that the GalNAc-T mRNA was strongly expressed in rat brain, testis, and spleen. The gene was also expressed in rat normal liver to a lesser extent. We found the GSLs in asialo- and alpha-pathways such as asialo-GM1 and GD1 alpha in the rat tissues by using a sensitive t.l.c.-immunostaining method. These observations also supported our conclusion that the single GalNAc-T synthesizes asialo-GM2, GM2 and GD2 in vivo.

Glycosphingolipids of rat T cells. Predominance of asialo-GM1 and GD1c

Glycosphingolipids play an important role in the immune response, yet their compositions in T and B cells which mediate cellular and humoral immunity, respectively, have not been elucidated. In this study, characteristic features of glycosphingolipids in rat T lineage cells were revealed by comparing the gangliosides and neutral glycolipids of spleen T- and beta-cell-enriched fractions and thymocytes. In T cells, GD1c(NeuGc,NeuGc), a unique ganglioside synthesized through asialo-GM1 (GA1), was the predominant ganglioside as previously found in thymocytes [Nohara, K., Suzuki, M., Inagaki, F., & Kaya, K. (1991) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 110, 274-278], and the amount was much higher than in thymocytes. In addition, three other GA1-derived gangliosides were detected in T cells and identified as GM1b(NeuAc), GM1b(NeuGc), and GD1 alpha(NeuAc,NeuAc). In contrast, GD1 alpha(NeuAc,NeuAc) was not discernible in thymocytes, although gangliosides corresponding to GM1b(NeuAc) and GM1b(NeuGc) were detected. The neutral glycolipids of T cells contained almost exclusively GA1, while thymocytes contained much lower amounts. The predominance of these GA1-derived gangliosides was confirmed as a singular feature of T lineage cells by comparison with gangliosides of spleen B-cell-enriched fractions which mainly consisted of gangliosides synthesized through GM3 and GM1. Furthermore, the unique structures, which contain the GM1 core and the extended modification of the lacto series, alpha Gal-LacNAc-GM1, alpha Gal-(LacNAc)2-GM1, and sialyl-LacNAc-GM1, were found in B-cell-enriched fractions. Unexpectedly, the neutral glycolipid composition of the thymocytes resembled that of the B-cell enriched fraction rather than that of the T cells.

In vitro synthesis of disialoganglioside (GD1 alpha) from asialo-GM1 using sialyltransferases in rat liver Golgi vesicles

Two gangliosides were efficiently synthesized from asialo-GM1 (Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1 Cer) and cytidine 5'-phosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc) by using sialyltransferases in rat liver Golgi vesicles in vitro. These gangliosides were rapidly purified by a combination of anion exchange and reverse-phase column chromatographies. The ganglioside structures were determined by TLC analysis, treatment with a sialidase from Salmonella typhimurium LT2, which specifically hydrolyzes alpha 2-3 N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc alpha 2-3) linkages, TLC immunostaining, and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. One of the gangliosides was identified as GD1 alpha [Neu-Ac alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3(NeuAc alpha 2-6)GalNAc beta 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1 Cer]. The other ganglioside was determined to be GM1b (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1 Cer), which has been reported in a previous study [Pohlentz, G., Klein, D., Schmitz, D., Schwarzmann, G., Peter-Katalinic, J. & Sandhoff, K. (1988) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 369, 55-63]. Finally, GM1b and GD1 alpha were obtained from asialo-GM1 as a starting material in 8.1% and 1.2% overall yields, respectively. This study also suggests that the novel synthetic pathway asialo-GM1-->GM1b-->GD1 alpha may exist in rat liver.

Regio- and stereo-selective synthesis of ganglioside GM1b and some positional analogs

Total syntheses of ganglioside GM1b (IV3NeuAcGgOse4Cer) and three of its positional analogs are described. Methyl O-(methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D- glycero-alpha-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosylonate)- (2----3)-2,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (7) and methyl O-(methyl 5- acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto-2 -nonulopyranosylonate)-(2----6)-2,4-di-O-benzoyl-3-O-benzyl-1-thio - beta-D-galactopyranoside (8) were the key glycosyl donors, prepared according to our reported methods. Coupling of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl bromide and 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D- galactopyranosyl)-(1----4)-2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside gave a trisaccharide, which after removal of O-acetyl and phthaloyl groups was converted separately, by benzylidenation and dibutyltin oxide-mediated selective benzylation, into two glycosyl acceptors. These were suitable respectively for C-3 and C-6 glycosylation reactions, promoted by dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate (DMTST), with the donors 7 and 8. The four possible coupling reactions gave the corresponding four pentasaccharide derivatives in high yields, and these were transformed into their respective alpha-trichloroacetimidates. Glycosylation of (2S,3R,4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol with the alpha-trichloroacetimidates gave the corresponding beta-glycosides, which on channeling through selective reduction of the azido group, coupling of the thus formed amino group with octadecanoic acid, O-deacetylation, and saponification of the methyl ester group, gave the title compounds.

Glycolipid changes in murine myelogenous leukemias: neutral glycolipids as markers for specific populations of leukemias

We have studied the glycolipid composition of six different murine myelogenous leukemias as well as that of T-cell leukemias and normal spleen cells. Neutral and acidic lipid fractions were isolated by column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and analyzed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and an HPTLC overlay method. Murine myelogenous leukemias were found to contain globo- and ganglio-series neutral glycolipids, e.g., glucosylceramide (Glc-cer), lactosylceramide (Lac-cer), globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), globoside (Gb4), Forssman glycolipid (Gb5), and asialo-GM1 (GA1). Monoblastic leukemia cells contained increased proportions of Gb3, Gb4, Gb5, and GA1. Monocytic and myelomonocytic leukemia cells contained increased proportions of Glc-cer and Lac-cer. Especially, Glc-cer accounted for approximately 60% of the total neutral glycolipids in monocytic leukemia cells. Gb3 was the major neutral glycolipid in reticulum cell neoplasm type A, and it accounted for approximately 75% of the neutral glycolipids. GA1 was the major neutral glycolipid in myeloblastic and granulocytic leukemia cells as well as T-cell leukemias. Especially, granulocytic leukemia cells contained predominantly GA1, and it accounted for approximately 80% of the total neutral glycolipids. The pattern of gangliosides in myelogenous leukemias was more complex when compared with that of the neutral glycolipids; murine myelogenous leukemias contained at least 13 gangliosides, including such major gangliosides as GM1, GM1b containing N-acetyl neuraminic acid and N-glycolyl neuraminic acid, and Ga1NAc-GM1b. Alterations of glycolipid composition in murine myeloid leukemias may be associated with cellular differentiation and maturation, and therefore these characteristic glycolipid species may be regarded as markers for specific populations of leukemia cells.

Structure of a new disialoganglioside GD1c from spontaneous murine thymoma

A major mono- and a di-sialoganglioside were isolated and purified to homogeneity from a spontaneous thymoma that occurs in AKR mice. Compositional and methylation analyses and the use of exoglycosidases established the monosialoganglioside to be alpha Neu(2----3)beta Gal(1----3)beta GalNAc(1----4)beta Gal(1----4)Glc(1----4)Cer and the disialoganglioside to be alpha NeuAc(2----8)alpha NeuAc(2----3)beta Gal(1----3)beta GalNAc(1----4)beta Gal(1----4)Glc(1----1)Cer (GD1c). A possible pathway for the biosynthesis of this disialoganglioside is presented.

Ganglioside GM1b as an influenza virus receptor

Receptor activity toward influenza virus A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) of a pair of gangliosides, GM1b (NeuAc alpha 2-3 Ga1 beta 1-3 GalNAc beta 1-4 Gal beta 1-4 GLc beta 1-1'-ceramide) and GM1a (Gal beta 1-3 GalNAc beta 1-4 (NeuAc alpha 2-3) Ga1 beta 1-4 Glc beta 1-1'-ceramide) is described. Receptor activity was monitored by an assay system including incorporation of gangliosides into chicken asialoerythrocytes which had lost the biological response for the virus, and subsequent estimation of recovery of virus-mediated haemagglutination and haemolysis. GM1a and GM1b were incorporated in similar amounts into chicken asialoerythrocytes. It was found that GM1b-erythrocytes revealed distinct recovery of influenza virus A/Aichi-mediated agglutination at 4 degrees C and subsequent haemolysis at 37 degrees C at pH 5.3. However, restoration of biological responsiveness of the erythrocytes to the virus by incorporation of GM1a was very low under the same conditions. The above results indicate that the haemagglutinin of the influenza virus A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) recognizes the saliosyl residue linked to nonreducing 'terminal' galactose rather than 'inner' galactose in the ganglio-tetraose core of gangliosides. GM1b could be one of the functional receptors to the influenza virus.

Comparison of the 13C-N.M.R. spectra of gangliosides GM1 with those of GM1-oligosaccharide and asialo-GM1

The 13C-n.m.r. spectra of asialo-GM1 and GM1-oligosaccharide are completely assigned and compared to those previously found for intact GM1 and for the series GM4, GM3, GM2, GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b. Removal of the ceramide residue from GM1 liberated a free, reducing aldehyde group, which was reflected in a doubling of the 13C-n.m.r. signals assignable to the D-glucose residue because of alpha, beta equilibrium. The spectrum of asialo-GM1 lacks the resonances from the sialic acid residue, as expected; in addition, several resonances from the neutral gangliotetraglycosyl residue shifted to different field positions after removal of sialic acid from GM1. These resonances include that of C-4 of the inner beta-D-galactosyl residue, and C-1 of the 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactosyl residue that is near the site of attachment of the sialosyl residue. The differences between the chemical shifts of the carbon resonances of oligomeric and monomeric saccharides, termed linkage shifts, provide a quantitative assignment aid. They are approximately 1/3 of those for residues linked to sialic acid than those for residues linked to the neutral hexose chain. Correlations among linkage shifts for pairs of glycosidically-linked carbon atoms for asialo-GM1 and GM1-oligosaccharide were compared with those for the series of gangliosides GM4 to GT1b, and differences are noted for resonances for carbon atoms near the sialic acid residue. The spectrum of ganglioside GM1b, a positional isomer of GM1 whose 13C-n.m.r. spectrum has not yet been observed, is predicted.

Topographic studies of gangliosides of intact synaptosomes from rat brain cortex

Gangliosides in the external surface of intact synaptosomes from rat brain cortex have been studied by oxidation of exposed galactose and galactosamine groups with galactose oxidase followed by reduction with labeled sodium borohydride. Purified synaptosomes were labeled, disrupted by osmotic shock, and the particulate components fractionated on diatrizoate to give four synaptosomal membrane fractions (A-D) and a mitochondrial pellet (E). Fractions A and B represent synaptosomal plasma membranes. When intact synaptosomes were labeled, the major portion of the total radioactivity incorporated into ganglioside fraction was found to be in GM1 3 species. With isolated membrane fractions little selectivity was seen: (1) more label was present compared to intact synaptosomes, and (2) zones corresponding to GM2, GM1, GD1a, GD1b were the major gangliosides labeled. The results confirm the conclusion that membrane fractions A and B are derived from the exposed synaptosome surface and also show that GM1 is the major ganglioside species available for enzyme oxidation at the surface.

The enzymic synthesis of GM1b: rat-brain CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid: asialo-GM1 sialyltransferase

An enzyme which catalyzes the transfer of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) to a tetrahexosylceramide (asialo-GM1) in young rat brain is described. The enzymic product is a new monosialoganglioside containing a neuraminidase-labile neuraminic acid, GM1b. The activity of this sialyltransferase is higher in fetal and young rat brains. The enzyme exhibits a pH optimum of 6.5 in cacodylate buffer. The incorporation of radioactivity into GM1b is stimulated in the presence of asialo-GM1 and CMP-NeuNAc and is dependent on the quantity added. The detergent mixture, Tween 80 and CF54, is required for optimal activity. Recent demonstration of the natural occurrence of GM1b in the free cell types of rat ascites hepatopa cells suggests a functional importance of this CMP-Neu-NAc:asialo-GM1 sialyltransferase in the in vivo formation of this novel monosialoganglioside.

Studies on the nature and cellular distribution of TLMA--a major rat T axis differentiation antigen. Identification as the glycosphingolipid GgOse4Cer (asialo GM1)

The recently detected T axis differentiation antigen, which was provisionally designated as T-lymphocyte-macrophage-associated antigen (TLMA) could now be identified as the neutral glycosphingolipid GgOse4Cer (asialo-GM1). TLMA is not only expressed on lymphocytes on the T lineage and on macrophages of the rat, but also on eosinophilic cells. On erythrocytes, the determinants are only detectable after neuraminidase treatment. Within the cell surface of thymic lymphocytes, the antigen determinant is partly masked by sialic acid residues. Presently, it cannot be decided whether the masking effect is brought about by sialic acid residues of adjacent glycolipid molecules or whether a nonreactive sialylated precursor molecule exists.

Biosynthesis in vitro of mono- and di-sialosylgangliosides from gangliotetraosylceramide by cultured cell lines and young rat brain. Structure of the products, and activity and specificity of sialosyltransferase

Incubations in vitro of GA1, labeled with 3H in the terminal D-galactopyranosyl group, with nonradioactive CMP-NeuNAc in the presence of homogenates of C21 rat brain glial cells, NIE mouse neuroblastoma cells, 3T3 mouse fibroblasts, SV 40-transformed 3T3 cells, chick embryo fibroblasts, Rous sarcoma virus-transformed chick embryo fibroblasts, and 9-day old rat brain resulted in all cases in the formation in high yield of GM1b, in which the neuraminidase-labile NeuNAc group is linked at O-3 of the terminal D-galactosyl residue, as shown by permethylation studies. No trace of the naturally occurring neuraminidase-stable GM1a was detected in any case. In addition, with NIE cells, and normal and RSV-transformed chick embryo fibroblasts, a disialosylganglioside (GD1) differing from GD1a and GD1b, and bearing only one substituent at O-3 of the terminal D-galactopyranosyl residue was formed. It was also biosynthesized from GM1b and CMP-NeuNAc by NIE and chick embryo cells but not by C21 cells, or rat brain. However, C21 cells and rat brain were capable of synthesizing GD1a from GM1a. Periodate oxidation degraded both NeuNAc groups in GD1 to a 7-carbon fragm:nt, indicating lack of substitution at O-8. GM1b could not be detected as a natural product in rat brain.