Characteristics of Gangliosides in Livers of the Japanese Pilchard

Abstract

Comparison of differences in animal species facilitates clarification of the physiological functions of sphingoglicolipids. Thus, in the present study, examination was made of the characteristics of ganglioside components in the livers of sardines. Monosialogangliosides were found to constitute 90.8% of total gangliosides. The main ingredient of the mammalian non-nervous system is GM3, but the major ganglioside present most in sardine livers was noted to be GM4 containing only N-acetylneuraminic acid, followed by GM3 and GM2. The main fatty acid component of GM4 was h 24:0 (43.3%). Hydroxy fatty acid (92.7%) and saturated fatty acid (77.9%) were significantly more compared to GM3 and GM2. Fatty acids of GM3 and GM2 were virtually the same but differed considerably from those of GM4, thus indicating differences in the metabolic pathway.