title: Expression of glycosphingolipids in lymph nodes of mice lacking TNF receptor 1: biochemical and flow cytometry analysis.
abstract: The expression of gangliosides and neutral glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in the lymph nodes of mice lacking the gene for the tumour necrosis factor-alpha receptor p55 (TNFR1) has been investigated. GSL expression in the tissues of mice homozygous (TNFR1-/-) or heterozygous (TNFR1+/-) for the gene deletion was analysed by flow cytometry and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) followed by immunostaining with specific antibodies. HPTLC immunostaining revealed that lymph nodes from TNFR1-/- mice had reduced expression of ganglioside GM1b and GalNAc-GM1b, neolacto-series gangliosides, as well as the globo- (Gb3, Gb4 and Gb5) and ganglio-series (Gg3 and Gg4) neutral GSLs. Flow cytometry of freshly isolated lymph node cells showed no significant differences in GSL expression, except for the GalNAc-GM1b ganglioside, which was less abundant on T lymphocytes from TNFR1-/- lymph nodes. In TNFR1-/- mice, GalNAc-GM1b+/CD4+ T cells were twofold less abundant (3.8% vs 7.6% in the control mice), whereas GalNAc-GM1b+/CD8+ T cells were fourfold less abundant (5.0% vs 20.2% in the control mice). This study provides in vivo evidence that TNF signalling via the TNFR1 is important for the activation of GM1b-type ganglioside biosynthetic pathway in CD8 T lymphocytes, suggesting its possible role in the effector T lymphocyte function.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Salata 3, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. marusica@mef.hr
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marusić
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markotić
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kovacić
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müthing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D005732:Gangliosides; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I