Association of gangliosides to fibroblasts in culture: A study performed with GM1[14C]-labelled at the sialic acid acetyl group

The preparation of a GM1-ganglioside (GM1) [14C]-labelled in the sialic acid residue is reported. This can be obtained by re-N-acetylation in the presence of [1-14C]-acetic anhydride, of a GM1 derivative de-N-acetylated specifically on the sialic acid residue by alkaline hydrolysis of GM1 with tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The radiolabelled GM1 is utilized to investigate the binding properties and the mode of interaction of GM1 with cultured fibroblasts. Three different forms of association (one “serum-removable”, one “trypsin-removable” and one “trypsin-stable”) have been recognized to occur in a way that depended on cell culture conditions (presence or absence of fetal calf serum), ganglioside concentration (from, 5×10−9M to 10−4M) and incubation time (up to 24 h). Some metabolic modifications of GM1 during the period of high cell viability were also investigated.