Glycosphingolipid changes induced by advanced glycation end-products

The effects of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) on retinal microvascu lar cell glycosphingolipids were investigated as a potential pathogenic mec hanism of diabetic retinopathy. The results obtained showed that, in microv ascular retinal endothelial cells and pericytes, AGEs increased the amount of all glycosphingolipids studied (from 25 to 115% depending on the glycosp hingolipid species), except for a specific ganglioside, GD3, which decrease d by 35% only in pericytes. Glycosphingolipid profiles and GM3 fatty acid a nalysis did not show any qualitative differences after incubation with AGEs , suggesting that AGEs only induced quantitative changes in cell glycosphin golipids. These results show a new metabolic effect of AGEs, which could be involved in the microvascular alterations observed in diabetic retinopathy . (C) 2001 Academic Press.