GLYCOSPHINGOLIPID COMPONENT PROFILES OF HUMAN GLIOMAS CORRELATE WITH HISTOLOGICAL TUMOR TYPES - ANALYSIS OF INTERINDIVIDUAL AND TUMOR-REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION

Three types of glycosphingolipid (GSL) component profiles have been es tablished for human intracranial gliomas. GSL-type I shows only G(lac) - and lacto-series-sialoglycolipids. Type II consist of G(lac)and G(tr i)-gangliosides, whereas only GSL-type III contains sulphatide and, as a major neutral glycolipid, galactocerebroside, besides gangliosides of the G(lac)-, G(tri)-, G(tet)-families. Whole gliomas of malignancy grading I/II, III and IV, display GSL-Types III, II, and I, respective ly. Thus, the GSL component distribution of the samples taken after su rgery from three individual gliomas and two biopsies correlate closely with the general diagnosis of these tumours. Arthrobacter ureafaciens sialidase was used for the characterization of gangliosides. GSL-type analysis of multiple regional samples, taken from necropsy and biopsy , were determined by microanalysis of microscopic cryostat section, an d shown to be in good agreement with their histology. The results vali date the relevance of tumour ganglioside analysis for the characteriza tion and diagnosis of gliomas.