Abstract
Novel functions of glycolipids are emerging. In this review, anti-tumor and immuno-regulatory actions of glycolipids, especially sialic acid-containing glycolipids, i.e. gangliosides are discussed. Gangliosides are known to be present mainly in the outer leaflet of cell membrane and also known to be one of the important constituents of membrane microdomains. The structural and functional changes in microdomain induced by gangliosides are involved in the physiological functions of gangliosides. Our studies for the involvement of gangliosides in anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells and in tumor cell invasion are described in the first half. In the latter half, we described our results that gangliosides can suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages.
Although almost reports that describe the gangliosides' functions are in vitro studies and in vivo functions of gangliosides are hardly reported, gangliosides are contained in various foods and we daily ingest them. In fact, reports pointing out the nutritional significances of gangliosides are gradually increasing. The nutritional meaning and possibility of gangliosides are also discussed.
