IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF MINOR GANGLIOSIDES IN THE RAT CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM

We previously described the differential distribution of major ganglio sides (GM1, GD1a, GD1b, GT1b and GQ1b) in adult rat brain detected by specific antibodies (Kotani, M., Kawashima, I., Ozawa, I., Terashima, T. and Tai, T. Glycobiology, 3, 137-146, 1993). We report here the dis tribution of minor gangliosides in the adult rat brain by an immunoflu orescence technique with mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Ten MAbs (GMR6, GMB28, GMR11, GMR19, GMR2, GMR7, GGR51, AMR10, NGR54 and NGR53) that specifically recognize GM3, GM2, GT1a, GD3, O-Ac-disialoganglios ide, GD2, GM1b, GM4, IV(3)NeuAc alpha-nLe(4)Cer and IV(6)NeuAc alpha-n Lc(4)Cer, respectively, were used. Our study revealed that there is a cell type-specific expression of minor gangliosides, as well as major gangliosides,in the rat brain. In the cerebellar cortex, GM3 was expre ssed intensely in the white matter and slightly in the granular layer. GD3 was present in both the granular layer and the white matter, but not in the Purkinje cell layer or in the molecular layer. An O-Ac-disi aloganglioside, which was suggested to be O-Ac-LD1, was detected exclu sively in both the molecular layer and Purkinje cell layer. The presen ce of GD2 was restricted to the granular layer. GM4 was associated wit h some astrocytes, but not with myelin or oligodendrocytes. GM2, GT1a, GM1b, IV(3)NeuAc alpha-nLc(4)Cer and IV(6)NeuAc alpha-nLc(4)Cer gangl iosides were not clearly detected in the cerebellar cortex. In other r egions, such as cerebral cortex, hippocampal formation and spinal cord , the expression of the gangliosides was also highly localized to a sp ecific cell type and layer.