Sensitive enzyme-immunostaining and densitometric determination of ganglio-series gangliosides on thin-layer plate: pmol detection of gangliosides in cerebrospinal fluid

An immunochemical method has been developed for sensitive detection and determination of ganglio-series gangliosides using thin-layer chromatography/enzyme-immunostaining. After chromatography of gangliosides, the plate was treated with Arthrobacter ureafaciens sialidase to remove all sialic acids from ganglio-series gangliosides. For the complete hydrolysis of gangliosides, sodium taurodeoxycholate was found to be required. The resulting asialo-glycolipids, GA2 and GA1 were reacted first with affinity-purified anti-GA2 and anti-GA1, respectively, and second with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG. Being highly sensitive and reproducible, it allows the characterization of gangliosides in cerebrospinal fluid which cannot be detected by classical methods.     

Characterization of N-glycolyneuraminic acid-containing glycosphingolipids from a Marek's disease lymphoma-derived chicken cell line, MSB1, as tumor-associated heterophile Hanganutziu-Deicher antigens

Heterophile, Hanganutziu-Deicher (HD) antigen-active N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing glycosphingolipids (GSLs) were detected as tumor-associated foreign antigens of a Marek's disease lymphoma-derived cell line, MSB1, by enzyme-immunoassay with chicken antibody against N-glycolylneuraminyl-lactosylceramide (anti-NeuGc-LacCer). At least three species of HD antigen-active GSLs were detected by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography (TLC) combined with enzyme-immunoassay. The reactivities of the GSLs with anti-NeuGc-LacCer, their behaviors on two-dimensional TLC and the results of an endo-beta-galactosidase digestion study indicated that these three GSLs were NeuGc-LacCer (NeuGc alpha 2-2Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer), NeuGc-nLcOse4Cer (NeuGc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer) and NeuGc-nLcOse6Cer (NeuGc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer).     

Short bed-continuous development thin-layer chromatography of glycosphingolipids

The technique of short bed--continuous development chromatography has been utilized to increase the separation of glycosphingolipids on high performance thin-layer chromatography plates. The theoretical goal of increasing separation of bands by decreasing solvent strength was achieved within a practical time span as a result of the high solvent velocities in the short bed tank. Examples are given for increased separation of short and long chain neutral glycolipids, acetylated neutral glycolipids, and gangliosides.     

High-performance thin-layer chromatography and densitometric determination of brain ganglioside compositions of several species.

Improved resolution of complex brain ganglioside mixtures was achieved by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. The percentage distribution of individual gangliosides was then determined by direct densitometric seanning, employing a transmittance mode, of the resorcinol-positive spots on the plate. As little as 90 pmol (29 ng) of lipid-bound sialic acid could be detected with a good signal-to-noise ratio. A linear detector response was observed up to 3.0 μg of lipid-bound sialic acid. The brain white matter ganglioside patterns of eight animal species, including human, chimpanzee, monkey, chicken, bovine, sheep, and pig, were examined in detail. In addition, human brain gray matter, rat cerebral, rat brain gray matter, and rat cerebellar ganglioside patterns were also studied. Ganglioside G_M4 (G₇) was found to be one of the major components in primate and chicken brain white matter, but it represented only a minor ganglioside in other species. Other major gangliosides in all brain samples studied were G_M1, G_D1a, G_D1b, and G_T1b. G_M1 was more abundant in white matter than in gray matter. G_T1a, a recently discovered ganglioside species, was found in all species examined, but was most abundant in the rat cerebellum. The latter source also contained high proportions of G_T1b and G_Q1b.     

Separation of neutral glycosphingolipids and sulfatides by thin-layer chromatography

Two one-dimensional systems for separation of glycolipids from total lipid extracts of tissues by thin-layer chromatography are described. System I used, as adsorbent, an alkaline mixture of silica gel without CaSO(4) binder (75%) and magnesium silicate (25%), and the lipids were "developed" with three successive solvent mixtures. The separated compounds (from the fastest to the slowest moving) were: ceramide, ceramide monohexosides, sulfatides, ceramide dihexosides, psychosine, ceramide trihexosides, and ceramide N-acetylhexosamine trihexosides. In system II a two-step development was used on an adsorbent consisting of silica gel without CaSO(4) binder (80%) and magnesium silicate (20%). The separated compounds were: ceramides, ceramide monohexosides, and ceramide dihexosides. Psychosine and sulfatides as well as ceramide trihexosides and ceramide N-acetylhexosamine trihexosides were not separated. In both systems all neutral lipids moved to the very top of the chromatogram and phospholipids stayed at the origin. Application of systems I and II for separation of glycolipids was demonstrated on total lipid extracts from animal tissues.     

High-performance liquid affinity chromatography and in situ fluorescent labeling on thin-layer chromatography of glycosphingolipids

A method combining high-performance liquid affinity chromatography and in situ fluorescent labeling on thin-layer chromatography is introduced for determination of glycosphingolipids. Glycolipids in crude extract from rat liver were separated quantitatively from neutral lipids and phospholipids with a phenylboronic acid-derivatized silica gel column. Glycolipids were eluted quantitatively with approximately 98% of crude extract recovered. This column is useful for selective cleanup of glycosphingolipids in crude extract from tissue. Simultaneously, a fluorometric determination of glycosphingolipids with 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin after NaIO4 oxidation on a TLC plate was introduced and its condition was optimized. Glycolipids in amounts ranging from 1 to 100 pmol are easily detectable and give linear responses over the respective ranges. The method is fast and useful for the determination of glycolipids from small amounts of biological samples and requires a minimum amount of about 1 mg of biological specimen for determination of glycolipids.     

Sensitive high-performance thin-layer chromatography method for detection and determination of ranitidine in plasma samples

A high-performance thin-layer chromatographic procedure has been developed for the determination of ranitidine, a H₂-receptor antagonist, in plasma. The detection and quantification were performed without using internal standards. A single-stage extraction procedure was followed for extracting ranitidine from plasma, and a known amount of the extract was spotted on precoated silica gel F254 plates. Ranitidine was quantified using a Shimadzu CS930 dual-wavelength TLC scanner. The method provides a direct estimate of total ranitidine present in the plasma.     

Fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry of glycosphingolipids extracted from thin-layer chromatography plates

A method is described for analysis of glycosphingolipids extracted from thin-layer chromatography plates. Mixtures of glycolipids and gangliosides were separated by thin-layer chromatography and the individual bands were eluted, permethylated, and, after purification, analyzed by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry. The glycosphingolipids could be characterized from their fast atom bombardment mass spectra in terms of partial monosaccharide sequence, ceramide composition, and molecular weight. The sensitivity of the method allows characterization of 1-5 micrograms of glycosphingolipid.     

High-performance thin-layer chromatography/mass spectrometry for the analysis of neutral glycosphingolipids

This mini-review summarizes the protocol we have developed for the analysis of neutral glycosphingolipids (GSLs) by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-mass spectrometry (MS). We also present results obtained using this glycolipidomic approach to study neutral GSLs from mouse kidney, spleen, and small intestine. Finally, we discuss what is required for further development of this method, as well as what is expected for the future of glycolipid biology.     

Identification of N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing gangliosides of cat and sheep erythrocytes. 252Cf fission fragment ionization mass spectrometry in the analysis of glycosphingolipids

A number of gangliosides were isolated from cat and sheep erythrocytes for use in analyzing the specificity of a panel of human anti-heterophile monoclonal antibodies. The structures of these compounds were determined by a combination of different procedures, including sugar analysis, glycosidase treatment, periodate oxidation, TLC immunostaining, methylation analysis, and mass spectrometry. These methods identified the cat erythrocytes gangliosides (C1 and C2) as N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc)-containing hematosides; C1 was shown to be NeuGc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta I----4Glc-Cer [NeuGc)2GD3) and C2 to be NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuAc-NeuGc-)GD3). The two sheep gangliosides (S1 and S2) were found to be novel glycolipids based on the paragloboside sequence; S1 was identified as NeuGc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuGc)2-disialylparagloboside) and S2 as NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuAc-NeuGc-)-disialylparagloboside). Structural analysis of these compounds was aided by the use of 252Cf fission fragment ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This method provided easily interpretable spectra on methylated derivatives which were particularly useful in determining the sialic acid composition of the gangliosides and the sequence of their disialosyl side chains.     

Immunochemical detection of glycosphingolipids on thin-layer chromatograms.

A sensitive immunochemical method was developed for the detection of glycosphingolipids on thin-layer chromatograms. The procedure involves oxidation of diol groups of glycosphingolipids with sodium periodate, derivatization of the formed aldehyde groups with digoxigenin-hydrazide, and reaction of the bound digoxigenin with an alkaline phosphatase-labeled polyclonal anti-digoxigenin antibody. The latter is detected by an insoluble indigo-like dye as a result of dephosphorylation of 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate. The detectability of all glycosphingolipid species was improved over that of the orcinol and resorcinol staining methods. Two nanograms of the standard gangliosides GM1, GD1A, and GT1 was detected, whereas the detection limit for short-chain neutral glycosphingolipids was in the range of 20-50 ng. Long-chain glycosphingolipids were detectable with a particularly high sensitivity. Selective staining of the gangliosides could be achieved by the use of low periodate concentrations.     

A rapid preparative method for isolation of neutral and acidic glycosphingolipids by radial thin-layer chromatography

An efficient method to separate neutral and acidic glycosphingolipids (GSLs) from their mixtures within a short period (45-60 min) and with low consumption of solvents (chloroform-methanol-water, 60/35/8 (v/v/v); 250-500 ml) has been developed. This method utilizes a centrifugal thin-layer chromatograph (Chromatotron) and the GSL mixtures (30-400 mg) are applied to glass plates coated with a 1-mm layer of silica gel 60 PF-254. The method (radial thin-layer chromatography) is rapid and simple and the recovery of glycosphingolipids is high (70-80%).     

Direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipid antigens by thin-layer chromatography

Abstract Free lipids were extracted from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and their antigenicity was assessed directly on thin-layer chromatograms (TLC) by an immunostaining technique. A family of glycolipids, composed of trehalose acylated with multimethyl branched long-chain fatty acids, was investigated. The most polar of these glycolipids was identified as a possible specific surface antigen. A pair of novel polar glycolipids also showed positive antigenic reactions.     

The determination of aminoacyl adenylate by thin-layer chromatography.

A rapid and convenient method is presented by which one may determine the extent of formation of Enz·(AA ∼ AMP) in the presence of isotopic amino acid, isotopic nucleotides, tRNA, enzyme, etc. Separation of the components of the reaction mixture is achieved by chromatography on tlc cellulose. Aminoacyl adenylate separates from other solutes and is characterized by its chemical and enzymatic reactions. The method may be used to determine the equilibrium constant for the synthesis of Enz·(AA ∼ AMP) which is very sensitive to salt concentration.     

Chromophoric determination of putrescine, spermidine and spermine with dabsyl chloride by high-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography

A fast and sensitive method for the determination of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and ammonia by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with dabsyl chloride is described. These compounds are converted to their chromophoric dabsyl derivatives and are separated by a normal-phase chromatographic column (μPorasil, 10 μm) with 2% acetone in chloroform as isocratic mobile phase. The sensitivity of the method is 20 pmoles. The present method was shown to be a straightforward procedure for estimating polyamines in various rat tissues.The chromophoric derivatives of polyamines are also well separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) on silica gel, and the combination of the HPLC and TLC procedures provides a reliable method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyamines.     

Detection of mycobacterial lipid antigens by a combination of thin-layer chromatography and immunostaining

An immunostaining method is described for the direct detection of mycobacterial lipid antigens on thin-layer chromatograms, no prior purification of the crude lipid extract is required. Analysis of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum serovar 41 gave positive reactions for the polar, but not the non-polar, glycopeptidolipids, with an antiserum against whole cells of the same strain. The family of phosphatidylinositol mannosides did not react with this antiserum but a reaction was obtained with an antiserum against intracellular material from another strain.