Isolation and characterization of glycosphingolipids from human leukocytes. A unique glycosphingolipid pattern in a case of acute myelomonoblastic leukemia.
Neutral glycosphingolipids and gangliosides were isolated from the malignant cells of a patient with acute myelomonoblastic leukemia. Structural analyses were performed by gas-liquid chromatography and by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with enzymatic hydrolysis of glycosphingolipids using glycosidases. We found that, in contrast to normal leukocytes and chronic leukemia cells which have only a single tetraosylceramide species, these acute myelomonoblastic leukemia cells have approximately equal amounts of both globo- and neolactotetraosylceramide. This is the first population of human leukocytes in which we found two families of neutral glycosphingolipids to be present. The ganglioside fraction was composed of appreciable quantities of both NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4Glc beta 1 leads to 1Cer (GM3, hematoside) and NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4Glc beta 1 leads to 1Cer (sialoparagloboside). These cells did not have the 'leukocyte-specific' N-acetylneuraminosyllactotriaosylceramide found in normal human lymphocytes and neutrophils. These results are discussed in relation to normal leukocyte differentiation and acute leukemia. The present study also illustrates the usefulness of combining enzymatic degradation with high-performance liquid chromatography for glycosphingolipid structural determination.
D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007948:Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute / Q000097:blood*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000032:analysis*
D002241:Carbohydrates; D006028:Glycosphingolipids