title: Glycosphingolipids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Glycosphingolipids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individual patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were analyzed using a glycolipid-overlay technique. The ganglioside composition of CSF of non-MS patients was characterized by an abundance of polysialo species, including GT1b and GQ1b. This pattern is completely different from that of human white or gray matter, in which mono- and disialogangliosides predominate. Increased levels of GM1, either associated with or without increases of other gangliosides, such as GD1a, were observed in 16% of the patients with MS (6 of 37 cases: 1 of 15 progressive progressive stage, 4 of 16 progressive stationary stage, and 1 of 6 relapsing stage). The concentration of GD3 was increased in 23% (3 of 13 cases), whereas 1 of 13 cases (8%) showed a dramatic increase of sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG) associated with a high level of GD3. These changes may reflect the cellular changes associated with the known pathological lesions in MS, which are characterized by demyelination, gliosis, and/or remyelination with oligodendrocytic proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyatani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ariga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000378:metabolism; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D002772:Cholera Toxin