i(3)so3-galactosylceramide and Astrocytoma

Experimental rat neural tumors in offspring were induced transplacentally by a single injection of a chemical carcinogen, ethylnitrosourea, 20 mg/kg body weight, in the tail vein of the mother. The neutral glycosphingolipid, sulfatide, and ceramide composition of the tumors and the normal tissues from which the tumors originated is described. The content of nonhydroxy fatty acid (NFA) and hydroxy fatty acid (HFA) containing ceramide in all the neural tumors so far examined was significantly increased compared with the corresponding normal neural tissue. Some 8 to 18 mol% of total neutral glycolipids was as ceramide in neurinomas, oligodendrogliomas, and meningiomas. Lactosylceramide in normal neural tissues was about 1 mol% of the total neutral glycosphingolipids. In various neural tumors lactosylceramide increased up to 8 mol%. NFA- and HFA-containing cerebrosides constitute 94-100% of the neutral glycosphingolipids in normal neural tissues. In various neural tumors the mol percent of cerebrosides was significantly reduced. A high performance liquid chromatographic method was modified to analyze simultaneously ceramides, cerebrosides, and higher neutral glycosphingolipids.

Topics: 2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; Animals; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; Ceramides; Ependymoma; Glioma; Glycosphingolipids; Mass Spectrometry; Neoplasms, Experimental; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms; Rats; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

Several neural cell lines were examined for their ability to synthesize sulfatide and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase, biochemical components characteristic of myelin. The mouse glioma G26 and the rat schwannoma TRM6B actively produced sulfatide, while the rat glioma C6 was inactive, supporting the probable oligodendroglial origin of the G26. In contrast, the C6 cell line had a high level of 2'-3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase activity, while TRM6B showed 30% and the G26 75% lower activities. Thus, these two activities appear to be independently regulated.

Topics: 2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; Animals; Astrocytoma; Cell Line; Glioma; Mice; Myelin Sheath; Neoplasms, Experimental; Neurilemmoma; Neuroblastoma; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; Rats; Sulfoglycosphingolipids