Purification and characterization of the epitectin from human laryngeal carcinoma cells

The purification and partial characterization of epitectin (previously called Ca antigen) from a human cancer cell line is described. This glycoprotein, which is expressed on a wide range of human tumors and certain specialized normal epithelia, can be detected using monoclonal antibodies, Ca1, Ca2, and Ca3. The purified glycoprotein had a high density (1.40 g/ml) on isopycnic centrifugation indicating a high carbohydrate content. The molecular mass of epitectin as determined by size-exclusion chromatography ranged from 1.0 to 1.5 x 10(6) daltons. However, the purified epitectin gave two bands of apparent molecular weight 390,000 and 350,000 on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The isoelectric points of epitectin and asialoepitectin were found to be 5.3-5.4 and 6.8, respectively. The oligosaccharides were isolated from metabolically labeled epitectin by alkaline borohydride treatment and their structures established based on high performance liquid chromatography and paper electrophoretic migration, sugar composition, the results of sequential exoglycosidase treatment, periodate oxidation, and methylation analysis. The structures of the three major fractions, which together account for about 80% of the radioactivity, were assigned as NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----(NeuNAc alpha 2----6)3GalNAc(OH), NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3GalNAc(OH), and Gal beta 1----3 GalNAc(OH). The structures of the minor fractions were tentatively assigned as NeuNAc----Gal(NeuNAc----Gal----GlcNAc)----GalNAc(OH), Gal beta 1----(NeuNAc alpha 2----6)3GalNAc(OH), NeuNAc alpha 2----6GalNAc(OH), and GalNAc(OH). It is proposed that the protein sequence and/or the distribution of the saccharides on the protein core are the determinants on epitectin that are recognized by the Ca antibodies.     

Release of O-linked sugar chains from glycoproteins with anhydrous hydrazine and pyridylamination of the sugar chains with improved reaction conditions.

A method for preparation of pyridylamino (PA-) derivatives of O-linked sugar chains from glycoproteins was developed. A glycopeptide containing O-linked Gal beta 1-3GalNAc was prepared from fetuin and treated with anhydrous hydrazine followed by N-acetylation of free amino groups. Sugar chains released were pyridylaminated with improved reaction conditions and excess reagents were removed by gel filtration. Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-PA obtained together with PA-Gal as a by-product was quantified by HPLC. Conditions for the hydrazine treatment were investigated and the treatment at 40 degrees C for 350 h gave the best results for releasing O-linked sugar chains. The total yield of Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-PA from the glycopeptide was 53% under the established conditions and that of PA-Gal was 18%. The present method was applied to a glycoprotein, and the expected PA-O-linked sugar chains were obtained. Under these conditions, N-linked sugar chains were also released.     

Deglycosylation studies on tracheal mucin glycoproteins

Following several model experiments, conditions were developed for optimal deglycosylation of tracheal mucin glycoproteins. Exposure of rigorously dried material to trifluoromethanesulfonic acid at 0 degree C for up to 8 h results in cleavage of essentially all fucose, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine, about 80% of the N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc), and a variable amount of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), the sugar involved in linkage to protein. Residual N-acetylneuraminic acid is sialidase susceptible and apparently in disaccharide units, presumably NeuNAc2----GalNAc. The remaining N-acetylgalactosamine is mostly present as monosaccharides, and a few Gal beta 1----3GalNAc alpha units are also present; both are cleaved by appropriate enzymatic treatment. The saccharide-free proteins obtained from either human or canine mucin glycoproteins have molecular weights of about 100,000 and require chaotropic agents or detergents for effective solubilization.     

The oncofetal structure of human fibronectin defined by monoclonal antibody FDC-6. Unique structural requirement for the antigenic specificity provided by a glycosylhexapeptide

Previously, monoclonal antibody FDC-6 was established, which defines a structure specific for fibronectins isolated from fetal and malignant cells and tissues. The presence of the FDC-6-defined structure at type III connecting segment (III CS) is characteristic of oncofetal fibronectin (onf-FN), and its absence is characteristic of normal fibronectin (nor-FN) (Matsuura, H., and Hakomori, S. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 82, 6517-6521). Hepatoma fibronectin was sequentially digested by various proteases, followed by subsequent chromatography on an FDC-6 affinity column and reverse-phase columns at each step of digestion. A single strongly active glycosylhexapeptide (glycopeptide 1) and an inactive glycosylpentapeptide (glycopeptide 3) were isolated from glycopeptide A containing 35 amino acid residues. The minimum essential structure required for the FDC-6 activity was found to be a hexapeptide sequence Val-Thr-His-Pro-Gly-Tyr having NeuAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3GalNAc or its core (Gal beta 1----3GalNAc or GalNAc) linked at threonine. Various synthetic peptides including the Val-Thr-His-Pro-Gly-Tyr sequence and a glycopeptide having the Val-Thr-His-Pro-Gly pentapeptide with the same glycosylation at threonine were all inactive. Elimination of sialic acid slightly increased the activity, and subsequent elimination of galactose did not alter the activity; however, removal of the Gal beta 1----3GalNAc residue by endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from desialylated glycopeptide A resulted in total inactivation of the reactivity with FDC-6 antibody. Thus, a single glycosylation at a defined threonine residue of the III CS region may induce conformational changes in the peptide to form the specific oncofetal epitope recognized by FDC-6 antibody. This finding opens the possibility that a number of other oncofetal epitopes consist of a peptide and a common O-linked carbohydrate and that the combination produces a conformation specific to cancer or to a stage of development.     

The structures of the serine-linked sugar chains on human chorionic gonadotropin

The human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit tryptic COOH-terminal peptide (residues 123-145) which contains 3 serine-linked sugar chains was isolated. The sugar chains were cleaved by beta-elimination and then separated by gel filtration. The peaks were pooled and their compositions determined. The products of serial glycosidase digestion and periodate oxidation of the intact glycopeptide were also characterized. Of the serine-linked sugar chains, 13% were the hexasaccharide NeuAc alpha 2,3 Gal beta 1,3 (NeuAc alpha 2,3 Gal beta 1,4 GlcNAc beta 1,6) GalNAc, 34% the tetrasaccharide NeuAc alpha 2,3 Gal beta 1,3 (NeuAc alpha 2,6) GalNAc, 43% the trisaccharide NeuAc alpha 2,3 Gal beta 1,3 GalNAc and 10% the disaccharide NeuAc alpha 2,6 GalNAc.     

Monoclonal antibodies detecting different epitopes on the Forssman glycolipid hapten

Two hybridomas, derived by fusing mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from a rat immunized with mouse mammary tumors, have been shown to produce antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens on mesenchymal cells in a variety of tissues. Evidence presented in this report suggests that these antibodies detect overlapping epitopes on the Forssman glycolipid hapten (GalNAc alpha 1-3GalNAc beta 1-3Gal alpha 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer). One antibody (33B12) reacts with the terminal sugar sequence GalNAc alpha 1-3GalNAc and is specific for Forssman. The other antibody (117C9) recognizes the internal sugar sequence GalNAc beta 1-3Gal. The terminal sugar sequence GalNAc beta 1-3Gal in globoside, as well as the internal sugar sequence GalNAc beta 1-4Gal in asialo-GM1, is not recognized as an antigenic determinant by 117C9. Nevertheless, the 117C9 antibody does not react exclusively with the Forssman antigen. In a lipid extract fractionated by Folch partition of mouse mammary tumors, the antibody also detects other glycolipids.     

Poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans attached to leukosialin. The presence of sialyl Le(x) structures in O-glycans.

Poly-N-acetyllactosamine extension has been found in O-glycans in addition to N-glycans and glycosphingolipids. Attempts were made in HL-60 and K562 cells to determine the amount of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans in the major sialoglycoprotein, leukosialin. Leukosialin was immunoprecipitated from [3H]glucosamine-labeled HL-60 and K562 cells. Glycopeptides were prepared by Pronase digestion, and O-glycan-containing glycopeptides were isolated by affinity chromatography using Jacalin-agarose. The glycopeptides bound to Jacalin-agarose and those unbound were treated with alkaline borohydride, and the released O-glycans were fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 filtration. Sequential glycosidase digestion of the O-glycans, with or without pretreatment by fucosidase or neuraminidase, revealed the following conclusions. 1) Leukosialin from HL-60 cells contains about 1-2 poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycan chains/molecule. 2) About 50% of these poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans contain sialyl Le(x) termini, NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->4 (Fuc alpha 1-->3)GlcNAc beta 1-->R. The amount of sialyl Le(x) structure in leukosialin is roughly equivalent to that on cell surfaces of HL-60 cells. 3) Leukosialin from K562 cells, on the other hand, contains no detectable amount of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans. 4) The presence of poly-N-acetyllactosamine in O-glycans is dependent on the core 2 beta 1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase. 5) Jacalin-agarose binds to sialylated small oligosaccharides such as NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->3(NeuNAc alpha 2-->6) GalNAc but not the hexasaccharide NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->3(NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->6) GalNAc. These results indicate that the formation of polylactosaminyl O-glycans and sialyl Le(x) structure in O-glycans is dependent on the core 2 formation.     

Structure of the oligosaccharides of three glycopeptides from calf thymocyte plasma membranes.

The carbohydrate composition and oligosaccharide structure of three glycopeptides isolated from delipidated calf thymocyte plasma membranes following Pronase digestion have been determined. Five major glycopeptide fractions were separated using Bio-Gel P-6 gel filtration and diethylaminoethylcellulose chromatography. The structure of the oligosaccharide chains of three of these glycopeptides was determined by a combination of sequential degradation with glycosidases and methylation analysis. These oligosaccharide structures consist of complex, highly branched N-linked chains containing at their nonreducing termini the unusual sequence Gal(beta1 leads to 3)Gal(beta1 leads to 4)GlcNAc leads to as well as the more usual sequence SA(alpha2 leads to 3)Gal(beta1 leads to 4)GlcNAc leads to. In addition, one glycopeptide also contains short O-linked chains with the structure Gal(beta leads to 3)GalNAc leads to Ser(Thr) which have receptor activity for the lectin from the mushroom Agaricus bisporus.     

Structures of mucin-type sugar chains of the galactosyltransferase purified from human milk. Occurrence of the ABO and Lewis blood group determinants

The mucin-type sugar chains of human milk galactosyltransferase samples purified from two donors with different blood types were released by alkaline borohydride treatment and quantitatively labeled by N-[3H]acetylation. The radioactive oligosaccharides thus obtained were fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography and immobilized lectin chromatography, and their structures were studied by sequential digestion with endo- or exoglycosidases, methylation analysis, and periodate oxidation. It was revealed that the structures of the mucin-type sugar chains of galactosyltransferase are extremely various, and many blood group determinants are expressed on more than 13 different backbone sugar chains. The characteristic features of the sugar chains could be summarized as follows. 1) The sugar chains of both samples are composed of core 1, Gal beta 1----3GalNAc, and core 2, GlcNAc beta 1----6(Gal beta 1----3)GalNAc. 2) One or two N-acetyllactosamine repeating units extend from the core through GlcNAc beta 1----6Gal and GlcNAc beta 1----3 Gal linkages. 3) Blood group determinants are expressed in accord with the blood types of the donors: sample 1 from a donor of blood type O, Lea+b- contains oligosaccharides with Lea and X determinants, and sample 2 from a donor of B, Lea-b- contains those with H, X, Y, and B determinants.     

The cell wall polysaccharide of Streptococcus gordonii 38: structure and immunochemical comparison with the receptor polysaccharides of Streptococcus oralis 34 and Streptococcus mitis J22

As part of our ongoing investigations involving lectinmediatedadhesion among oral bacteria, the receptor polysaccharide fromStreptococcus gordonii 38 was isolated and characterized. Carbohydrateanalysis of the hydrolysed S.gordonii 38 polysaccharide by high-performanceanionexchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection(HPAEC-PAD) showed galactose (Gal) (2 mol), N-acetylgalactosamine(GalNAc) (1 mol), rhamnose (Rha) (2 mol), glucose (Glc) (1 mol)and galactosamine-6-phosphate (1 mol). Mild acid hydrolysisof the polysaccharide yielded a heptasaccharide repeating unit.The structure of the heptasaccharide repeating unit was determinedby high-resolution NMR spectroscopy which includes various homonuclear(DOF—COSY, TQF-COSY, NOESY and HOHAHA) and heteronuclearexperiments (HMQC), including linkage assignments by ¹H-¹³Clong-range correlation (HMBC). Complete ¹H and ₁₃C NMR assignmentsfor the intact polysaccharide yielded the covalent structureof a heptasaccharide repeating unit:     

Conformations of terminal sialyloligosaccharide fragments--a molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to understand the conformational features of the terminal sialyloligosaccharide fragments NeuNAc alpha(2-3)Gal, NeuNAc alpha(2-6)Gal, NeuNAc alpha(2-8)NeuNAc and NeuNAc alpha(2-9)NeuNAc. The conformational regions A(i), B(i) and C(i) were identified in the Ramachandran plot. Analysis of the 1000 ps trajectories collected through simulation (2000 ps in the case of NeuNAc alpha (2-9)NeuNAc) revealed that these molecules have conformational propensity in region B(i). The occurrence of these molecules in the common conformational space leads to a structural similarity between them. This structural similarity may be an essential requirement for the neuraminidase activity towards sialyloligosaccharides. The local change in the conformation of the active site residues of neuraminidases may contribute for the specificity differences between different linkages of sialyloligosaccharides. A highly conserved water-mediated hydrogen bond observed in these structures between the sugar residues, acts as an additional stabilizing force.     

Isolation and characterization of an N-acetylgalactosamine specific lectin from Salvia sclarea seeds

Crude extracts from Salvia sclarea seeds were known to contain a lectin which specifically agglutinates Tn erythrocytes (Bird, G. W. G., and Wingham, G. (1974) Vox Sang. 26, 163-166). We have purified the lectin to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography. The agglutinin was found to be a glycoprotein of Mr = 50,000, composed of two identical subunits of Mr = 35,000 linked together by disulfide bonds. The purified lectin agglutinates specifically Tn erythrocytes and, at higher concentrations, also Cad erythrocytes. Native A, B, or O red blood cells are not agglutinated by the lectin and, even after treatment with sialidase or papain, these cells are not recognized. Tn red cells present 1.45 X 10(6) accessible sites to the lectin which binds to these erythrocytes with an association constant of 1.8 X 10(6) M-1. On Cad red cells, 1.73 X 10(6) sites are accessible to the lectin which binds with an association constant of 1.0 X 10(6) M-1. The carbohydrate specificity of the S. sclarea lectin has been determined in detail, using well defined monosaccharide, oligosaccharide, and glycopeptide structures. The lectin was found to be specific for terminal N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) residues. It binds preferentially alpha GalNAc determinants either linked to Ser or Thr (as in Tn structures) or linked in 1-3 to a beta GalNAc or to an unsubstituted beta Gal. Although more weakly, the lectin binds beta GalNAc residues linked in 1-4 to a beta Gal (as in Cad structures). It does not recognize beta GalNAc determinants linked in 1-3 to a Gal (as in globoside) or the alpha GalNAc residues of blood group A structures.     

Enzymatic synthesis of the core-2 sialyl Lewis X O-glycan on the tumor-associated MUC1a' peptide

Starting from a tumor-associated synthetic MUC1-derived peptide MUC1a' and using a completely enzymatic approach for the synthesis of the core-2 sialyl Lewis X glycopart, the following glycopeptide was synthesized: AHGV[Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)[Fuc(alpha1-3)]GlcNAc(beta1-6)[Gal(beta1-3)]GalNAc(alpha1-O)]TSAPDTR. First, polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3 was used to site-specifically glycosylate MUC1a' to give MUC1a'-GalNAc. Then, in a one-pot reaction employing beta-galactosidase and core-2 beta6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase the core-2 O-glycan structure was prepared. The core-2 structure was then sequentially galactosylated, sialylated, and fucosylated by making use of beta4-galactosyltransferase 1, alpha3-sialyltransferase 3, and alpha3-fucosyltransferase 3, respectively, resulting in the sialyl Lewis X glycopeptide. The overall yield of the final compound was 23% (3.2 mg, 1.4 micromol). During the synthesis three intermediate glycopeptides containing O-linked GalNAc, Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc(beta1-6)[Gal(beta1-3)]GalNAc, and Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc(beta1-6)[Gal(beta1-3)]GalNAc, respectively, were isolated in mg quantities. All products were characterized by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy.     

Identification of a royal jelly glycoprotein that carries unique complex-type N-glycans harboring the T-antigen (Galβ1-3GalNAc) unit

In this study, we identified a royal jelly glycoprotein (RJG) that carries a unique complex-type N-glycans harboring the T-antigen (Galβ1-3GalNAc) unit. The amino acid sequence of the tryptic glycopeptide harboring the T-antigen unit was G-E-S-L-X-K (X might be glycosylated Asn), confirmed in the major royal jelly glycoprotein 1 (MRJP1), which is also expressed in the mushroom body of the honeybee brain.     

Mutual separation of hinge-glycopeptide isomers bearing five N-acetylgalactosamine residues from normal human serum immunoglobulin A1 by capillary electrophoresis

Immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) from normal human serum is known to have O-linked sugar chains, sialylated Galβ1,3GalNAc, in the hinge portion. In order to reduce the microheterogenity of the sugar chain, the hinge glycopeptide prepared from IgA1 was sequentially treated with neuraminidase and β-galactosidase. The asialo-, agalacto-hinge glycopeptide (HGP-SG) composed of a 33-mer peptide (HP33) and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) residues was obtained. The HGP-SG was separated into three major peaks, A, B and C, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Each glycopeptide fraction was further separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Peaks A, B and C with HPLC abundantly contained HP33 bearing five and six N-acetylgalactosamine residues (HGP33-5,6GN), HGP33-4,5GN and HGP33-3,4GN, respectively. Among these glycopeptide peaks, only the HGP33-5GN peak was partly split into two peaks based on the CE analysis – HGP33-5GN-α and -β. The glycopeptide, HGP25-5GN shortened by the thermolysin digest of HGP33-SG was also well separated into the α and β forms by CE analysis. No differences in their mass and peptide portion were observed between HGP25-5GN-α and -β. Therefore, the obtained result might indicate that HGP25-5GN-α was an isomer of HGP25-5GN-β differing in its stereospecific structure of the peptide portion and/or the attachment site of the GalNAc residue.     

Population studies of Vitamin D Binding Protein microheterogeneity by mass spectrometry lead to characterization of its genotype-dependent O-glycosylation patterns

Mass spectrometric evidence presented here characterizes the genotype-dependent glycosylation patterns for each of the three major allele products of Vitamin D Binding Protein found in the general human population. Findings based on the analysis of over 100 individual plasma samples demonstrated that all DBP allele products, except GC*2, are modified (10-25 mol%) with a linear (NeuNAc) 1(Gal) 1(GalNAc) 1 trisaccharide and, to a much lesser extent (1-5 mol%) with a trisaccharide-independent (Gal) 1(GalNAc) 1 dissaccharide. GC*2 protein contains the disaccharide but remains completely free of the trisaccharide, even in heterozygous individuals possessing a second gene product that is modified with the trisaccharide. Thus, all allelic forms of DBP except GC*2 possess two independent O-glycosylation sites occupied by separate, yet consistently isomass oligosaccharides and, despite a consensus sequence, lack N-glycosylation.     

Identification of a Royal Jelly Glycoprotein That Carries Unique Complex-Type N-Glycans Harboring the T-Antigen (Galβ1-3GalNAc) Unit

In this study, we identified a royal jelly glycoprotein (RJG) that carries a unique complex-type N-glycans harboring the T-antigen (Galβ1-3GalNAc) unit. The amino acid sequence of the tryptic glycopeptide harboring the T-antigen unit was G-E-S-L-X-K (X might be glycosylated Asn), confirmed in the major royal jelly glycoprotein 1 (MRJP1), which is also expressed in the mushroom body of the honeybee brain.     

GalNAc beta 1----3 terminated glycosphingolipids of human erythrocytes

Nonacid glycosphingolipids with 4 to 10 sugar residues isolated from pooled erythrocytes of blood group O donors have been efficiently separated as peracetylated derivatives on silicic acid. This procedure enabled a quantitative estimate of individual compounds and also revealed several GalNAc beta 1----3 terminated structures. The structural characterization of these glycolipids with 1H-NMR spectroscopy, direct inlet mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified the compounds as GalNAc beta 1----3Gal alpha 1----4Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-N-acetyl sphingosine and GalNAc beta 1----3Gal alpha 1----4Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1-N-acetyl phytosphingosine, GalNAc beta 1----3GalNAc beta 1----3Gal alpha 1----4Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1 ceramide, and GalNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1 ceramide.     

Effect of glycosylation on MUC1 humoral immune recognition: NMR studies of MUC1 glycopeptide-antibody interactions

MUC1 mucin is a large transmembrane glycoprotein, of which the extracellular domain is formed by a repeating 20 amino acid sequence, GVTSAPDTRPAPGSTAPPAH. In normal breast epithelial cells, the extracellular domain is densely covered with highly branched complex carbohydrate structures. However, in neoplastic breast tissue, the extracellular domain is underglycosylated, resulting in the exposure of a highly immunogenic core peptide epitope (PDTRP in bold above) as well as the normally cryptic core Tn (GalNAc), STn (sialyl alpha2-6 GalNAc), and TF (Gal beta1-3 GalNAc) carbohydrates. In the present study, NMR methods were used to correlate the effects of cryptic glycosylation outside of the PDTRP core epitope region to the recognition and binding of a monoclonal antibody, Mab B27.29, raised against the intact tumor-associated MUC1 mucin. Four peptides were studied: a MUC1 16mer peptide of the sequence Gly1-Val2-Thr3-Ser4-Ala5-Pro6-Asp7-Thr8-Arg9-Pro10-Ala11-Pro12-Gly13-Ser14-Thr15-Ala16, two singly Tn-glycosylated versions of this peptide at either Thr3 or Ser4, and a doubly Tn-glycosylated version at both Thr3 and Ser4. The results of these studies showed that the B27.29 MUC1 B-cell epitope maps to two separate parts of the glycopeptide, the core peptide epitope spanning the PDTRP sequence and a second (carbohydrate) epitope comprised of the Tn moieties attached at Thr3 and Ser4. The implications of these results are discussed within the framework of developing a glycosylated second-generation MUC1 glycopeptide vaccine.     

Gangliosides GM2, IV4GalNAcGM1b, and IV4GalNAcGC1a as antigens for monoclonal immunoglobulin M in neuropathy associated with gammopathy

It was previously reported that monoclonal IgM from two patients with gammopathy and neuropathy showed similar specificity by reacting with the same group of unidentified minor components in the ganglioside fractions of human nervous tissues (Ilyas, A. A., Quarles, R. H., Dalakas, M. C., and Brady, R. O. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 82, 6697-6700). Enzymatic degradation, ion-exchange chromatography, and immunostaining of purified ganglioside standards on thin-layer chromatograms have now revealed that the antigenic glycolipids recognized by the IgM from these patients are gangliosides GalNAc beta 1-4Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer(GM2), GalNAc beta 1-4Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer (IV4GalNAcGM1b), and GalNAc beta 1-4Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4 beta Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1-Cer (IV4GalNAcGD1a). The monoclonal IgM appears to be reacting with the terminal [GalNAc beta 1-4Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-] moiety shared by these three gangliosides and is a useful probe for detecting small amounts of GM2, IV4GalNAcGM1b, IV4GalNAcGD1a, and other gangliosides with the same terminal sugar configuration in tissues. Species distribution studies using the antibody revealed that GM2 is present in the brains and nerves of all species examined, while IV4GalNAcGM1b and IV4GalNAcGD1a exhibit some striking species specificity. GM2, but not IV4GalNAcGD1a, is enriched in purified myelin from human brain.