Glycolipids of hamster fibroblasts and derived malignant-transformed cell lines.

Abstract

The main glycolipid present in the normal hamster kidney fibroblasts (BHK-21, C13) was identified to be N-acetyl-neuraminyllactosylceramide (hematoside), the quantity of which was found to be greatly diminished in the malignant-transformed cells. The 2nd glycolipid, which was characterized to be lactosylceramide, increased in the malignant-transformed cells. A reciprocal relationship between the quantities of hematoside and lactosylceramide present has been noticed to exist depending on the biological properties of the cells. The cytoagglutination evoked by purified wheat germ agglutinin, characteristic for malignant cells, was specifically inhibited by the ganglioside fraction of malignant cells but not by the same fraction of normal fibroblasts.