Effect of glycosphingolipids on erythrocyte Na+,K+-ATPase activity

The total fractions of gangliosides and cerebrosides isolated from the tissue of human brain were studied for their effect on the Na+, K+-ATPase activity of native erythrocytes and their membranes. It is shown that gangliosides depending on time of their preincubation with the enzyme preparation and concentration produce both the activating and inhibiting action and cerebrosides--only the inhibiting one. Gangliosides inhibit the transport ATPase activity noncompetitively with respect to ATP and Na+ and competitively--to K+, cerebrosides inhibit it noncompetitively with respect to all ATPase activators.