Characterization of Gangliosides from Equine Kidney and Spleen

Abstract

Gangliosides were isolated from equine kidney and spleen, and their carbohydrate and lipid moieties were characterized.
Among the long-chain bases, considerable proportions of trihydroxy bases (42.3 to 61.2% of the total bases), in which phytosphingosine was predominant, were found in all the ganglioside classes. The other major base was sphingosine. Among the constituent fatty acids, long-chain acids (with a carbon number of more than 20), comprised approximately half the total acids, with some α-hydroxy and mono-unsaturated acids.
By means of sequential hydrolysis with glycosidases coupled with methylation analysis, the following kidney and spleen gangliosides were characterized: hematoside containing both N-acetyl and N-glycolylneuraminic acids; ganglioside GM₂ having both types of sialic acid; ganglioside GM, having mainly N-glycolylneuraminic acid (83 to 86%); ganglioside GD_1a having mainly N-glycolylneuraminic acid (71 to 95%). Ganglioside GD₃ containing almost exclusively N-glycolylneuraminic acid (93%) was found in the kidney, and ganglioside GD_1b having both types of sialic acid in the spleen.