Gangliosides are widely expressed sialylated glycosphingolipids with multifunctional properties in different cell types and organs. In the nervous system, they are highly enriched in both glial and neuronal membranes. Mice lacking complex gangliosides attributable to targeted ablation of the B4galnt1 gene that encodes ␤-1,4-N-acetylegalactosaminyltransferase 1 (GalNAc-transferase; GalNAcT -Tg(glial) mice. These results indicate that neuronal rather than glial gangliosides are critical to the age-related maintenance of nervous system integrity.

The high ion signals produced by many lipids in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) make them an ideal molecular class to study compositional changes throughout tissue sections and their relationship with disease. However, the large extent of structural diversity observed in the lipidome means optimal ion signal for different lipid classes is often obtained in opposite polarities. In this work we demonstrate how new high speed MALDI-MSI technologies combined with precise laser position control enables the acquisition of positive and negative ion mode lipid data from the same tissue section much faster than is possible with other MSI instruments. Critically, using this approach we explicitly demonstrate how such dual polarity acquisitions provide more information regarding molecular composition and spatial distributions throughout biological tissues. For example, in applying this approach to the zebra finch songbird brain we reveal the high abundance of DHA containing phospholipids (PC in positive mode and PE, PS in negative ion mode) in the nuclei that control song learning behaviour. To make the most of dual polarity data from single tissues we have also developed a pLSA-based multivariate analysis technique that includes both positive and negative ion data in the classification approach. In doing so the correlation amongst different lipid classes that ionise best in opposite polarities and contribute to certain spatial patterns within the tissue can be directly revealed. To demonstrate we apply this approach to studying the lipidomic changes throughout the tumor microenvironment within xenografts from a lung cancer model.

The discovery of novel pathogenic mechanisms engaged during bacterial infections requires the evolution of advanced techniques. Here, we evaluate the dual polarity matrix norharmane (NRM) to improve detection of bacterial lipid A (endotoxin), from host and vector tissues infected withFrancisella novicida (Fn). We evaluated NRM for improved detection and characterization of a wide range of lipids in both positive and negative polarities, including lipid A and phospholipids across a range of matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-coupled applications. NRM matrix improved the limit of detection (LOD) for monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) down to picogram level representing a 10-fold improvement of LOD versus 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 100-fold improvement of LOD versus 9-aminoacridine (9-AA). Improved LOD for lipid A subsequently facilitated detection of theFn lipid A major ion (m/z 1665) from extracts of infected mouse spleen and the temperature-modifiedFn lipid A atm/z 1637 from infectedDermacentor variabilis ticks. Finally, we simultaneously mapped bacterial phospholipid signatures within anFn-infected spleen along with an exclusively host-derived inositol-based phospholipid (m/z 933) demonstrating coprofiling of the host–pathogen interaction. Expanded use of NRM matrix in other infection models and endotoxin-targeting imaging experiments will improve our understanding of the lipid interactions at the host–pathogen interface.

Acute canine polyradiculoneuritis (ACP) is considered to be the canine equivalent of the human peripheral nerve disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS); an aetiological relationship, however, remains to be demonstrated. In GBS, anti-glycolipid antibodies (Abs) are considered as important disease mediators. To address the possibility of common Ab biomarkers, the sera of 25 ACP dogs, 19 non-neurological, and 15 epileptic control dogs were screened for IgG Abs to 10 glycolipids and their 1 : 1 heteromeric complexes using combinatorial glycoarrays. Anti-GM2 ganglioside Abs were detected in 14/25 ACP dogs, and anti-GA1 Abs in one further dog. All controls except for one were negative for anti-glycolipid Abs. In this cohort of cases and controls, the glycoarray screen reached a diagnostic sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 97%; a lower sensitivity (32%) was reported using a conventional glycolipid ELISA. To address the possible pathogenic role for anti-GM2 Abs in ACP, we identified GM2 in canine sciatic nerve by both mass spectrometry and thin layer chromatography overlay. In immunohistological studies, GM2 was localized predominantly to the abaxonal Schwann cell membrane. The presence of anti-GM2 Abs in ACP suggests that it may share a similar pathophysiology with GBS, for which it could thus be considered a naturally occurring animal model.