Abstract

A simple and sensitive method for detecting gangliosides on TLC plates is described. Gangliosides are extracted by phase partition in chloroform/methanol, developed on TLC plates in chloroform/methanol/0.25% aqueous KCl (5/4/1 by vol) and identified by binding of125I-labelled, sialic acid-specificLimax flavus agglutinin (LFA) autoradiography and scanning densitometry. The detection limit of the method is below 1 ng (0.5 pmol) for GM3, GM1 and GT1b, and below 0.3 ng (0.2 pmol) for GM2 and GD1a. Binding of125I-LFA is not inhibited by 106-fold molar excess concentrations ofN-acetylneuraminic acid or lactose but is decreased in a dose-dependent manner by eitherN-acetylneuraminyllactose or unlabelled lectin. Gangliosides were not detected after their treatment byClostridium perfringens sialidase in the presence of taurocholic acid. Ten gangliosides were detected in human brain and seven in normal human serum. Extracts from 0.2 mg of brain and 20 μl of serum were sufficient for the detection of major gangliosides.

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