Sulfoglucuronyl‐Neolacto Series of Glycolipids in Peripheral Nerves Reacting with HNK‐1 Antibody

Abstract

Novel sulfoglucuronyl-neolacto series of glycolipids were detected in peripheral nerves of various species by TLC followed by immunostaining with HNK-1 antibody. The major antigenic glycolipid, sulfoglucuronylneolactote-traosylceramide, previously described in human nerves, was shown to be also present in the sciatic nerves of various species including rodents. A second slower migrating antigenic glycolipid present in the sciatic nerves of human and dog was isolated and purified. It was characterized by chemical and enzymatic degradation, sugar analysis after permethylation, and gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques as well as by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, as 3-sulfogIucuronylneolactohexaosylceramide. During postnatal development of the rat sciatic and trigeminal nerves the concentration of these antigenic glycolipids increased with age.