Gangliosides induce apoptosis of the cytotoxic CTILL-2 line cells, but notof the promyeloid line cells

Gangliosides induce apoptosis of IL-2-dependent cytotoxic murine line cells ; the capacity of gangliosides to unduce apptosis after 1-day incubation de creases in the series: GM2 > GM3 > GM1 > > GD1a > GD1b > GT1b. GM1-induced apoptosis is suppressed, and GM2-induced is enhanced in the presence of rlL -2; efficacy of the intracellular agent C2-Cer is unaltered by this cytokin e. GM1-induced apoptosis is abolished by an caspase I inhibitor N-acetyl-Ty r-Val-Ala-Aspartinal. The above gangliosides do not induce apoptosis in pro myelocytic leukemic HL-60 line cells. Physiological aspects of the phenomen on found are discussed.