Blood-Group A and the Related Glycolipids of Human Lung

Abstract

Three glucosamine-containing sphingoglycolipids were isolated from human lung tissue of a blood group-A subject. They were hexaglycosyl, pentaglycosyl, and tetraglycosyl ceramides. The hexaglycosyl ceramide exhibited blood group-A antigenicity, and the following chemical structure was proposed on the basis of sequential glycosidase treatment and methylation analysis.
GalNAcα1→3 _??_alβ1→4 GlcNAcβ1→3 Galβ1→4 Glc→ceramide
α1Fuc
The pentaglycosyl ceramide from human lung was a blood group H (O)-active glycolipid having a carbohydrate composition of Fuc:GlcNAc:Gal:Glc (1:1:2:1). The tetraglycosyl ceramide is probably paragloboside (lactoneotetraosyl ceramide).