Brain Gangliosides during the Life Span (Embryogenesis to Senescence) of the Rat

Abstract

The concentration of gangliosides, sialoglycoproteins and proteins was studied in the whole brains and single brain structures (cortex, olfactory bulb, corpora quadrigemina region ≙ midbrain, cerebellum, thalamic region and oblongated medulla) of female rats from 14 developmental stages ranging from day 8 of gestation to more than 3 years of age. The content of protein- and ganglioside-bound neuraminic acid showed a peak at 3 weeks of age and then decreased with aging, whereas that of proteins increased until senescence. All over the life span the developmental profiles of 12 individual gangliosides in the different brain structures (cortex, corpora quadrigemina region ≙ midbrain, cerebellum, thalamic region, medulla) and in whole brain samples were followed. There are distinct differences between the brain structures. Additionally each brain region is characterized by specific developmental ganglioside profiles. However, some ganglioside changes are common to all regions: G_D3 in general is a marker for cell division and migration, whereas the polar ganglioside fractions G_Q1b and G_P1 are characteristic for nerve cell sprouting and arborization. Especially in the cortex G_D1a seems to be the marker for synaptogenesis and G_M1 and G_M4 for myelination. The results were discussed in view of the main morphological patterns of differentiation.

Effects of gangliosides on the activity of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase

“…Changes in ganglioside levels during development and aging have been reported previously, but most of these measures were obtained from homogenates of rat [14], mouse [48], and human brains [16, 49]. Therefore, it is not clear whether the changes in ganglioside content reported in previous studies reflect age-related neuronal or glial alterations.…”

“…This is particularly true in the brain where they constitute 20–25% of the outer leaflet of neuronal membranes or 10–15% of the total lipids in nerve ending (synaptosomal) membrane fractions [14]. Gangliosides participate in a variety of vertebrate cellular processes such as toxin uptake and cell adhesion, growth, mobility, and differentiation [15].…”

Changes in Brain Gangliosides of the Neotene and Metamorphic (Thyroxine-Induced) Newt Axolotl (<i>Ambystoma mexicanu</i><i>m</i>)

“…Analogue changes in the patterns of brain gangliosides during development were noted in fish [21], birds [22,23], rat [24][25][26] and man [6,27,28]. This indicates that the morpho genetic process of brain maturation (either during normogenetic or artificially induced development) is generally correlated with significant changes in the composition of brain gangliosides.…”

Golgi Localization of Glycosyltransferases Involved in Ganglioside Biosynthesis

“…It becomes clear from this figure that gangliosides are characteristic for neuronal cells with GD1a and GT1b being the major species in mammalian brain. It was reported that gangliosides carry most of the sialic acid of the brain [9] and their profiles vary in different regions of the brain and change during ontogenesis [10][11][12][13][14]. Interestingly, gangliosides are scarcely detectable in glial cells including oligodendrocytes and astrocytes and constitute only a minor fraction in fibroblasts (Fig.…”