Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “GLYCOLIPIDS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Extensive radioactive labeling of glycolipids in cultured hamster fibroblasts by incubation of whole cells with UDP-[14C]glucose and UDP-[14C]galactose.

NIL 2cl cells, a cloned hamster cell line, are known to have seven classes of neutral glycosphingolipids in addition to hematoside. In this paper, I examined the participation of cell surface glycosyltransferases in the glycolipid synthesis in NIL cells. The cells, harvested from culture bottles by the use of chelating agents of divalent cations, incorporated radioactive glucose and galactose from labeled UDPglucose and UDPgalactose into endogenous glycolipid acceptors to form all eight classes of glycosphingolipids and dolichyl phosphate glucose. The major part of the incorporation occurred by glycosyltransferase reactions from nucleotide sugars, as indicated by a slight inhibition of the incorporation observed in the presence of a large excess of sugars or sugar phosphates. Acid hydrolysis of the glycolipid products showed that 91.4% of the 14C label was in the galactose and glucose moieties of the glycolipids. Exogenously added lactosylceramide stimulated the synthesis of trihexosylceramide in the absence of detergents. Th results presented in this paper suggest that incubation of whole cells with an equilibrium mixture of radioactive UDPglucose and UDPgalactose is a useful radioactive labeling method to determine the glycolipid composition of a cultured cell.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Biosynthesis of Lewis antigenic glycolipid by cell-free extracts of human intestinal tumor cells cultured in serum-free medium.

Extracts of the human intestinal tumor cell line SW1116 were able to stimulate the incorporation of (14C) fucose from GDP-(14C) fucose into organically soluble glycolipid. The reaction required a purified glycolipid preparation from human meconium as lipid acceptor. The active glycolipid co-migrated with standard globoside on high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and had molecular species (M + H) under fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry of 1199, 1245 and 1269. Globoside itself was inactive and asialo GM1b had low activity. The radioactive products co-purified with Lewis a and Lewis b and co-migrated principally (60-90%) with Lewis b monoclonal antibody binding cellular glycolipids on HPTLC. Analysis of fucosidase digests suggested the presence of two different fucosyl-hexose linkages one of which was susceptible to cleavage. We conclude that the data are consistent with fucosylation of lactotetraosyl ceramide to Lewis a and Lewis b antigenic glycolipids.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1986

Sulfated glucuronyl glycolipids reacting with anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein monoclonal antibodies including IgM paraproteins in neuropathy: species distribution and partial characterization of epitopes.

It was recently established that anti-myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) IgM paraproteins associated with neuropathy and a substantial number of experimentally produced rat and mouse monoclonal antibodies that react with MAG (e.g. HNK-1) also bind to some sulfated glucuronic acid-containing sphingoglycolipids of human peripheral nerve. A species study revealed that these glycolipids could be detected readily by TLC overlay experiments in the acidic glycolipid fractions from human, monkey, bovine, cat and dog peripheral nerve. The glycolipids were also present in the nerves of rat, mouse, rabbit, guinea pig and chicken, but their concentration was about an order of magnitude lower. These antigenic glycolipids were present in the purified myelin fraction from cat nerve, but their level was not enriched over that in whole homogenate. Partial characterization of the epitopes in the glycolipids was accomplished by comparing binding of the human and experimental monoclonal antibodies to sulfated glucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG), to the desulfated lipid (GPG), and to the methyl ester of the desulfated lipid (MeGPG). All of the human, mouse and rat antibodies reacted with the intact SGPG, but none exhibited binding to MeGPG indicating that either the sulfate or the free carboxyl group on SGPG was required for reactivity. Five out of 11 human IgM paraproteins retained partial and variable reactivity with GPG showing that the sulfate was not absolutely required for binding, while the other 6 did not react with GPG. These results demonstrate idiotypic heterogeneity among the IgM paraproteins. Only 1 of 14 monoclonal antibodies produced experimentally in mice or rats retained reactivity with GPG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Structures of the eight- to nine-sugar glycolipids of human blood group A erythrocytes.

Two glycolipid fractions, isolated in 1975 from blood group A1 erythrocytes and shown on the basis of direct-inlet mass spectrometry to contain eight- and nine-sugar A-type sequences, have been reinvestigated by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry and overlay analysis with selected monoclonal anti-A antibodies. The presence of three separate glycolipids was concluded, consistent with a common paragloboside backbone [beta-D-Galp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----3)-beta-D-Galp-(1----4)-D-Glc] and a typical erythrocyte ceramide component (sphingosine, and 22-, 23-, 24-, and 25-carbon nonhydroxy fatty acids). It is proposed that they carry A determinants based on Type 1 [beta-D-Galp-(1----3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc], Type 2 [beta-D-Galp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc], and Type 3 [beta-D-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-D-GalpNAc] chains, respectively. The Type 1 (eight sugars) and Type 3 (nine sugars) glycolipids appeared in mixtures of both the native and the acetylated form. The existence of Type 1 glycolipid, which appears to be a genuine erythrocyte glycolipid as concluded from the ceramide composition, had been predicted earlier by other workers.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1987

Glycolipid core structure switching from globo- to lacto- and ganglio-series during retinoic acid-induced differentiation of TERA-2-derived human embryonal carcinoma cells.

We have analyzed the glycolipid markers of a recently cloned human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line, NTERA-2, which differentiates extensively into a variety of somatic cell types when exposed to retinoic acid. These tumor cells provide a model system that can be used to study the ontogeny of glycolipid diversity during human embryonic development. Glycolipid antigens were identified by cell surface immunofluorescence and thin-layer chromatography immunostaining using a comprehensive set of anticarbohydrate monoclonal antibodies. Undifferentiated NTERA-2 cells were found to express predominantly globo-series glycolipids, including Gb3, Gb5 (IV3GalGb4), globo-ganglioside (IV3NeuAc alpha 2----3GalGb4), globo-H (IV3Fuc alpha 1----2GalGb4), and globo-A (IV3GalNAc alpha 1----3[Fuc alpha 1----2]GalGb4). When NTERA-2 cells were induced to differentiate by culturing in the presence of 10(-5) M retinoic acid, a remarkable shift of cellular glycolipids from globo-series to lacto- and ganglio-series was observed: Globo-series structures declined, particularly during the period 7-20 days after first exposure to retinoic acid, while lacto-series structures, including fucosyl alpha 1----3 type 2 chain (Lex) and sialosyl type 2 chain, and ganglio-series structures, including GM3, GD3, 9-O-acetyl-GD3, GM2, GD2, and GT3, increased. The presence of globo-A and globo-H as the major ABH blood group antigens in undifferentiated NTERA-2 cells suggests that globo-series blood group antigens are embryonic antigens, synthesis of which switches to lacto-series during human development. Two-color immunofluorescence analysis indicated preferential expression of several ganglio- and lacto-series antigens on different subsets of differentiated cells and permitted the relationship of these subsets to the development of neurons in NTERA-2 cultures to be determined. The results suggest that glycosyltransferase, particularly those involved in controlling glycoconjugate core structure assembly, are key enzymes regulated during the differentiation of human EC cells and, by implication, during human embryogenesis.

Antigens↗
PubMed1992

Cell surface ligands for rotavirus: mouse intestinal glycolipids and synthetic carbohydrate analogs.

Rotaviral binding to receptors on epithelial cells in the small intestine is thought to be a key event in the infection process and may be carbohydrate-mediated. Strain SA11 of rotavirus bound in vitro both to glycolipids isolated from mouse small intestine and to authentic glycolipids using thin layer chromatography overlay and microtiter well adsorption assays. Neutral mouse intestinal glycolipids which bound rotavirus were GA1 (Gal beta 1----3GalNAc beta 1---4Glc beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-ceramide) and pentaosylceramides with terminal N-acetylgalactosamine, while acidic lipids which bound rotavirus included cholesterol 3-sulfate and two compounds termed bands 80 and 81. Digestion with ceramide glycanase suggested that bands 80 and 81 have lactosyl ceramide cores and an unidentified acidic moiety(s). No sialic-acid-containing glycolipids tested were active in viral binding. Band 81, which may have a ganglio core, bound rotavirus with greatest avidity, followed by GA1. Of authentic glycolipids assayed, only GA1 and GA2 (GalNAc beta 1----4Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-ceramide) displayed rotaviral binding. A phosphatidylethanolamide dipalmitoyl-containing neoglycolipid analog of GA2 bound rotavirus with avidity similar to native GA2. Substitution of beta 1----4-linked GlcNAc or beta 1----3-linked GalNAc for terminal GalNAc of GA2 neoglycolipid supported rotaviral binding, while other substitutions abrogated it. These findings suggest that a carbohydrate epitope similar to that of GA2 is sufficient for in vitro rotaviral binding, although binding may be enhanced by galactose and/or an acidic moiety in a secondary epitope.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Restriction of glycolipids to the outer half of a plasma membrane: concanavalin A labeling of membrane halves in Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Fracture-label, a method that permits the cytochemical characterization of faces produced by freeze-fracture, was used to determine the partition and distribution of a glycolipid on membrane fracture faces of Acanthamoeba castellanii cells. After treatment with concanavalin A (Con A), the glycolipid (a lipophosphonoglycan, LPG) was labeled with colloidal gold coated with horseradish peroxidase. The label was abundant over exoplasmic fracture faces (face E) of plasma membranes, but absent from protoplasmic fracture faces (face P). We conclude that, in A. castellanii, glycolipid molecules are restricted to the outer half of the plasma membrane. This conclusion is confirmed by experiments with cells disrupted by freezing and thawing, where access of label to the cell interior did not result in labeling of the inner surface. Our results establish the exclusive localization of a glycolipid to the outer half of a plasma membrane. Fracture-label is proposed as a new technique to investigate the distribution and partition of glycolipids in plasma and intracellular membrane halves.

Amoeba↗
PubMed1992

Comparative serological reactivity of Taenia crassiceps, Taenia solium and Taenia saginata metacestode neutral glycolipids to infection serum from Taenia crassiceps-infected mice.

A comparative survey was undertaken of the neutral fraction glycolipids from the metacestodes of 3 taeniid species, Taenia crassiceps, Taenia solium and Taenia saginata, to determine their chemical and serological staining patterns on separation by thin-layer chromatography. The orcinol-positive patterns of T. solium and T. saginata metacestodes exhibited a closer superficial resemblance to each other than to T. crassiceps or T. saginata adults. A comparison of component migration properties against standards of known structure indicated the main oligosaccharide chains to be mono-, di-, tri- and tetrasaccharides; however, in T. solium this was extended to at least a heptasaccharide. The multiple banding characteristic of each component is a consequence of lipid moiety heterogeneity. Serologically, the patterns of the 3 taeniid species neutral fraction glycolipids showed virtually the same immunological reactivity towards mouse normal serum, infection serum and a monospecific, polyclonal antibody directed against the trisaccharide component of T. crassiceps. The latter antibody was isolated from mouse infection serum by affinity chromatography on a column of glycolipid-bound octyl-Sepharose CL-4B. Immunochemically, the major common epitope expressed by the neutral fraction glycolipids of the 3 taeniid species is the same or very similar to the glycosphingolipid, neogalatriaosyl ceramide derived from the marine mollusc Turbo cornutus (Gal(beta 1-6) Gal(beta 1-6) Gal(beta 1-1)Cer). Host tissue neutral fraction glycolipids, porcine muscle and bovine muscle, as well as human spleen, were not immunoreactive.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Sulfate- and sialic acid-containing glycolipids inhibit DNA polymerase alpha activity.

The effects of various glycolipids on the activity of immunoaffinity-purified calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha were studied in vitro. Preincubation with sialic acid-containing glycolipids, such as sialosylparagloboside (SPG), GM3, GM1, and GD1a, and sulfatide (cerebroside sulfate ester, CSE) dose-dependently inhibited the activity of DNA polymerase alpha, while other glycolipids, as well as free sphingosine and ceramide did not. About 50% inhibition was achieved by preincubating the enzyme with 2.5 microM of CSE, 50 microM of SPG or GM3, and 80 microM of GM1. Inhibition was noncompetitive with both the DNA template and the substrate dTTP, as well as with the other dNTPs. Since the inhibition was largely reversed by the addition of 0.05% Nonidet P40, these glycolipids may interact with the hydrophobic region of the enzyme protein. Apparently, the sulfate moiety in CSE and the sialic acid moiety in gangliosides were essential for the inhibition since neither neutral glycolipids (i.e., glucosylceramide, galactosylceramide, lactosylceramide) nor asialo-gangliosides (GA1 and GA2) showed any inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the ceramide backbone was also found to be necessary for maximal inhibition since the inhibition was largely abolished by substituting the lipid backbone with cholesterol. Increasing the number of sialic acid moieties per molecule further enhanced the inhibition, while elongating the sugar chain diminished it. It was clearly shown that the N-acetyl residue of the sialic acid moiety is particularly essential for inhibition by both SPG and GM3 because the loss of this residue or substitution with a glycolyl residue completely negated their inhibitory effect on DNA polymerase alpha activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

A comparative serological study of antigenic glycolipids from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Two fractions of antigenic diacyl trehaloses (DAT1 and DAT2) were isolated from the type strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv). Phenolic glycolipid (PGL) and polar glycolipid antigens (C1-C4) were isolated from an unusual smooth so-called 'Canetti' strain of M. tuberculosis. These lipids were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using antisera against a range of mycobacteria and sera from 50 tuberculosis patients and 25 healthy blood donors. All the lipids gave strong reactions with homologous mycobacterial antisera, except the least polar 'Canetti' polar glycolipid (C4). The phenolic glycolipid (PGL) from the 'Canetti' strain gave only a very weak response with antisera against M. tuberculosis H37Rv. The diacyl trehaloses (DAT) from H37Rv gave only weak reactions with the antisera against the 2 Canetti strains of M. tuberculosis. The 3 most polar glycolipid antigens (C1-C3) from the Canetti strain gave strong responses with serum against M. tuberculosis H37Rv. None of the lipids was able to discriminate between patient and control sera at a level suitable for a serodiagnostic test. A combination of results from several lipids appears to be of greater value in this respect. Thus, PGL, DAT2 and C2 were the best combination, reacting with all but 4 of the patient sera and with only 1 of the control sera.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Preferential orientation of an immunoglobulin in a glycolipid monolayer controlled by the disintegration kinetics of proteo-lipidic vesicles spread at an air-buffer interface.

The insertion of immunoglobulin (IgG) in a glycolipid monolayer was achieved by using the ability of new proteo-glycolipid vesicles to disintegrate into a mixed IgG-glycolipid interfacial film after spreading at an air-buffer interface. The interfacial disintegration kinetics was shown to be directly dependent on the initial vesicle surface density and on the buffer ionic strength. The presence of the immunoglobulin in the glycolipid film was displayed by an increase of the lateral compressibility (Cs) during monolayer compression. Cs magnitude modifications, due to the antibody effect on the monolayer packing, decreases as the spread vesicle density increases. At interfacial saturation, the lateral compressibility profile becomes similar to that of a control monolayer without antibody. However, the careful analysis of the mixed monolayer after transfer by Langmuir-Blodgett technique (ATR-FTIR characterisation, enzyme immunoassociation) clearly demonstrated that the antibody was still present in such conditions and was not completely squeezed out from the interface as compressibility changes could have meant. At nonsaturating vesicle surface density, IgG molecules initially lying in the lipid matrix with the Y-shape plane parallel to the interface move to a standing-up position during the compression, leading to lateral compressibility modifications. For a saturating vesicle surface density, the glycolipid molecules force the IgG molecules to directly adopt a more vertical position in the interfacial film and, consequently, no lateral compressibility modification was recorded during the compression.

Air↗
PubMed2004

Isolated cranial neuropathy associated with anti-glycolipid antibodies.

We describe seven patients with isolated cranial neuropathy in whom serum anti-glycolipid antibodies were detected. Trigeminal sensory neuropathy was found in four patients, who had exhibited symptoms for 2 months to 4 years. The other three patients showed facial nerve palsy with or without ophthalmoparesis. Temporal profile analysis of anti-glycolipid antibodies revealed that titers of anti-glycolipid IgM antibodies against GM2 and LM1 gradually decreased in patients having chronic trigeminal sensory neuropathy. In patients with acute trigeminal sensory neuropathy, elevation of anti-LM1 antibody titers continued over 12 months although anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody disappeared. On the other hand, titers of anti-glycolipid antibodies rapidly decreased in patients with acute facial nerve palsy with or without ophthalmoparesis. We conclude that anti-glycolipid antibodies may play an important role in the development of isolated cranial neuropathy in some patients.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2003

Effects of calcium-induced aggregation on the physical stability of liposomes containing plant glycolipids.

Membranes containing either negatively charged lipids or glycolipids can be aggregated by millimolar concentrations of Ca(2+). In the case of membranes made from the negatively charged phospholipid phosphatidylserine, aggregation leads to vesicle fusion and leakage. However, some glycolipid-containing biological membranes such as plant chloroplast thylakoid membranes naturally occur in an aggregated state. In the present contribution, the effect of Ca(2+)-induced aggregation on membrane stability during freezing and in highly concentrated salt solutions (NaCl+/-CaCl(2)) has been determined in membranes containing different fractions of uncharged galactolipids, or a negatively charged sulfoglucolipid, or the negatively charged phospholipid phosphatidylglycerol (PG), in membranes made from the uncharged phospholipid phosphatidylcholine (PC). In the case of the glycolipids, aggregation did not lead to fusion or leakage even under stress conditions, while it did lead to fusion and leakage in PG-containing liposomes. Liposomes made from a mixture of glycolipids and PG that approximates the lipid composition of thylakoids were very unstable, both during freezing and at high solute concentrations and leakage and fusion were increased in the presence of Ca(2+). Collectively, the data indicate that the effects of Ca(2+)-induced aggregation of liposomes on membrane stability depend critically on the type of lipid involved in aggregation. While liposomes aggregated through glycolipids are highly stable, those aggregated through negatively charged lipids are severely destabilized.

Calcium Chloride↗
PubMed1999

Formation and characterization of planar lipid bilayer membranes from synthetic phytanyl-chained glycolipids.

The formability, current-voltage characteristics and stability of the planar lipid bilayer membranes from the synthetic phytanyl-chained glycolipids, 1, 3-di-O-phytanyl-2-O-(beta-glycosyl)glycerols (Glc(Phyt)(2), Mal(N)(Phyt)(2)) were studied. The single bilayer membranes were successfully formed from the glycolipid bearing a maltotriosyl group (Mal(3)(Phyt)(2)) by the folding method among the synthetic glycolipids examined. The membrane conductance of Mal(3)(Phyt)(2) bilayers in 100 mM KCl solution was significantly lower than that of natural phospholipid, soybean phospholipids (SBPL) bilayers, and comparable to that of 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) bilayers. From the permeation measurements of lipophilic ions through Mal(3)(Phyt)(2) and DPhPC bilayers, it could be presumed that the carbonyl groups in glycerol backbone of the lipid molecule are not necessarily required for the total dipole potential barrier against cations in Mal(3)(Phyt)(2) bilayer. The stability of Mal(3)(Phyt)(2) bilayers against long-term standing and external electric field change was rather high, compared with SBPL bilayers. Furthermore, a preliminary experiment over the functional incorporation of membrane proteins was demonstrated employing the channel proteins derived from octopus retina microvilli vesicles. The channel proteins were functionally incorporated into Mal(3)(Phyt)(2) bilayers in the presence of a negatively charged glycolipid. From these observations, synthetic phytanyl-chained glycolipid bilayers are promising materials for reconstitution and transport studies of membrane proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Enthalpy is a proper criterion for comparability of monolayer and bilayer studies: isobaric temperature scanning measurements on glycolipid monolayers.

The thermotropic behaviour of glycolipid monolayers has been studied by isobaric temperature scanning measurements to elucidate conditions under which monolayers exhibit thermodynamic and structural properties comparable to those observed in bilayers. A selection of synthetic, stereochemically pure, glyceroglycolipids with identical, ether-linked alkyl chains of 12, 14, or 16 CH2-groups has been investigated. The head groups of the glycolipids consisted of glucose, galactose, maltose, lactose or maltotriose moieties with beta-configuration of the glycosidic bond. These glycolipids were chosen to permit a quantitative characterization of three effects, (i) the role of the length of the aliphatic chains, (ii) the influence of the size of the head group, and (iii) the influence of the stereochemistry of the sugar moieties on the structure and stability of the monolayers. To probe the effects of stereochemical alterations in the glycerol moiety 2,3-O-ditetradecyl-1-O-beta-D-glucosyl-sn-glycerol (14-2,3-Glc) was compared with 1,2-O-ditetradecyl-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-sn-glycerol (14-1,2-Glc). It has been shown that in general several features of bilayers can be obtained from monolayer studies with reasonable accuracy, provided the proper parameters are chosen. The monolayer is stabilized by elongation of the aliphatic chains of the lipids and destabilized when the monosaccharide read groups is replaced by a di-, or trisaccharide, in a similar manner as in the bilayer. The stabilizing effect that has been observed in bilayer studies, when galactose instead of glucose is introduced as head group, has also been established in the monolayer studies. This stabilizing effect is even retained in the lipids having disaccharide head groups. On the basis of these monolayer studies in connection with WAXS and SAXS measurements on multilamellar systems, we suggest that identity of transition enthalpies of the chain melting L beta-L alpha transition is an appropriate criterion for estimating molecular areas and area changes of bilayers from monolayer measurements and vice versa. However, estimates of transition temperatures are poor using the enthalpy criterion. If identity of transition temperature is introduced as criterion, glycolipid monolayers must be compressed to about 43 +/- 3 mN m-1. Under these conditions the agreement between the calculated enthalpies and structural properties of monolayers and multilayers is poor. As a general conclusion it can be emphasized that for monolayer and bilayer systems of glycolipids there exists no such parameter as a universal pressure or a universal temperature that automatically renders monolayer data identical to bilayer data. Depending on which property (transition temperatures, transition enthalpies, lateral areas and transitional area changes) one wants to extrapolate from monolayer to bilayer different lateral pressures have to be applied.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗
PubMed2006

Determination of glycolipid-protein interaction specificity.

Glycolipids are found on all eukaryotic cells. Their expression varies among tissues, with the highest density found in the brain, where glycolipids are the most abundant of all glycoconjugate classes. In addition to playing roles in membrane structure, glycolipids also act as cell surface recognition molecules, mediating cell-cell interactions, as well as binding certain pathogens and toxins. Because of their amphipathic nature, underivatized glycolipids are amenable to immobilization on hydrophobic surfaces, where they can be probed with lectins, antibodies, pathogens, toxins, and intact cells to reveal their binding specificities and affinities. Three particularly useful methods to probe specific glycolipid-mediated recognition events are microwell adsorption (ELISA), thin layer chromatography overlay, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

NKT cells-containing inflammatory lesions induced by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis glycolipids.

Valpha14-expressing NKT (invNKT) cells are a population of non-conventional T lymphocytes (TL) that bridge mammalian innate and adaptive immunity. Their role in infectious diseases and inflammatory processes is still largely ununderstood. A previous report has shown that an acute granulomatous-like reaction can be elicited by sub-cutaneous injection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis glycolipids in mice, and that recruitment of invNKT cells at the injection site is instrumental in this process. Here, we describe the mouse response to enterobacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis glycolipids extracts during the first week post injection. The cellular reaction is an acute inflammatory infiltrate where TL are abundant from early times on. InvNKT cells are present in the lesions, detectable as early as day 1 post injection. They compose all of the Valpha14-expressing TL, although conventional T cells expressing non-Valpha14 alpha-chains can be detected. The reaction is strictly dependent on ester-linked fatty acids as mild alkaline treatment of the extract prior to injection results in the absence of analysable lesions. Thus, glycolipids from Yersinia induce inflammatory lesions comparable to those induced by mycobacteria glycolipids, in spite of the totally different cell wall composition in the two genera. Moreover, the present findings show that invNKT cell response is not unique to mycobacterial glycolipids.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Structural analysis of glycolipids from Borrelia burgdorferi.

In this study the lipids of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, were analyzed. Lipids comprise about 25-30% of the cell dry weight. The lipid fraction could be separated by HPTLC into 11 components. Staining of these components revealed two glycolipids and two phospholipids. The glycolipids represented about 50% of the total lipids and comprised only galactose as monosaccharide constituents. By means of mass spectrometric and gas chromatographic analysis both glycolipids could be identified as alpha-galactosyl-diacylglycerolipids with different fatty acid compositions. The phospholipids were identified as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol. Immunoassays with sera from patients with Lyme disease showed antibody reactivity only to the glycolipids, which was present in all stages of the disease. Other lipid components seemed to be non-immunogenic in Lyme disease. The glycolipids of B. burgdorferi may be, thus, considered promising candidates for diagnosis and possibly also for vaccination.

Blotting, Western↗