A new approach to the modification of cell membrane glycosphingolipids: Ganglioside composition of JTC-12 P3 cells altered by feeding with galactose as a sole carbohydrate source in protein- and lipid-free synthetic medium

Journal Article · Wed Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1988 · Experimental Cell Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(88)90288-1· OSTI ID:5322802

Kawaguchi, Tatsuya ^[1]; Takaoka, Toshiko; Yoshida, Eiko ^[2]; Iwamori, Masao; Nagai, Yoshitaka ^[3]; Takatsuki, Kiyoshi ^[4]

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1. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan) Kumamoto Univ. Medical School (Japan)
2. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan)
3. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan) Niigata Univ. (Japan)
4. Kumamoto Univ. Medical School (Japan)

A significant difference in the glycosphingolipid composition of JTC-12 P3 cells established from monkey kidney tissue was observed when cells cultured in a protein- and lipid-free synthetic medium containing glucose (DM-160) as a sole carbohydrate source were transferred and cultured in the same medium containing galactose and pyruvic acid (DM-170) in place of glucose. In particular, the amounts of gangliosides GM3, GM2, and GD3 in the cells cultured in DM-170 were 5.3-, 17.8-, and more than 8-fold those in the cells cultured in DM-160, respectively, indicating that anabolism of gangliosides is greatly enhanced in cells cultured in the presence of galactose and pyruvic acid, as compared with cells cultured in the presence of glucose. In fact, after cultivation of cells in the medium with N-acetyl-D-({sup 14}C)mannosamine for 96 h, the radioactivity incorporated into the gangliosides of the cells in DM-170 was 10-fold that of the cells in DM-160. Among the gangliosides of the cells in DM-170, highly sialylated molecules such as GD3, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b were preferentially labeled, indicating that the sialytransferases responsible for the synthesis of gangliosides are significantly more activated in cells cultured in DM-170 than in DM-160. These observations reveal that the glycosphingolipid composition of the plasma membrane can be modified epigenetically under well-defined conditions and provide important clues for clarifying the roles of glycosphingolipids associated with particular cell functions.

• OSTI ID: 5322802
• Journal Information: Experimental Cell Research; (United States), Journal Name: Experimental Cell Research; (United States) Vol. 179:2; ISSN ECREA; ISSN 0014-4827
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALDEHYDES
ANABOLISM
BIOCHEMISTRY
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL CULTURES
CELL MEMBRANES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
CULTURE MEDIA
GALACTOSE
GANGLIOSIDES
GLYCOLIPIDS
HEXOSES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIPIDS
MEMBRANES
METABOLISM
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SACCHARIDES