Gangliosides, specialized sialic acid-containing glycolipids found abundantly in the outer leaflet of the neural phospholipid bilayer membrane, have a profound effect on tumor cellswhich prompts investigation. Mammalian tumors have exhibited drastic abnormalities in ganglioside profile. Gangliosides of normal murine neural tissue and murine neural tumortissue were extracted through dissolution in both chloroform:methanol- and water-based solutions, isolated using Folch partitioning of polar lipids and non-polar lipids, and purified using ion exchange chromatography and desalting procedures. Ganglioside content was quantified using a Resorcinol assay, yielding a drastic disparity between normal neural tissue and tumor tissue. The distribution of specific gangliosides in the samples were analyzed using high performance thin-layer chromatography, showing a greater proportion of the more structurally complex gangliosides (e.g., GD1a, GT1b) in the healthy murine neural tissue and a greater proportion of the structurally simple gangliosides (e.g., GM3) in the murine neural tumor tissue. These results suggest a role of gangliosides in tumor proliferation and the possible use of the ganglioside profile as a diagnostic tool in cancer therapy.
Solubility:Soluble in chloroform/methanol,/water (2:1:0.1). Forms micellar solution in water.
Storage and Stability:Lyophilized powder may be stored at -20°C. Reconstitute to nominal volume by adding sterile buffer. Aliquot and store at -20°C. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap. Further dilutions can be made in assay buffer.
