DELETION OF COMPLEX GANGLIOSIDES OF HUMAN GLIOMA-CELLS DURING MITOTICCELL-DIVISION

Glycolipid compositions of the human glioma cell line T98G were studie d during each phase of the cell cycle to see if those cell surface mol ecules are concerned with cell proliferation. In vitro cultured nonsyn chronized T98G cells are composed of ceramidemonohexoside (CMH), ceram idedihexoside (CDH), ceramidetrihexoside (CTH) and neolactotetraosylce ramide (nLc(4)Cer) as neutral glycolipids, and of sulfatide (CS), gang liosides GM3, GM2, GD1a and several other gangliosides as acidic ones. While total glycolipid content per cellular weight was shown to be in creased during the M phase, deletion of complex gangliosides particula rly b-series gangliosides was recognized (p < 0.05). The glycolipid pr ofile in other phases was fairly consistent, and there was no glycolip id molecule specific to a certain phase of the cell cycle. Relative en hancement of simple gangliosides with a decrease of complex ones durin g mitotic division may imply the functional involvement of complex gan gliosides in cell-cell or cell-matrix attachment, which may have to be abandoned during the process of detachment from the matrix or cellula r cleavage.