Application Notes:
As this product is derived from a natural source, there may be variations in the sphingoid backbone.
Gangliosides are being actively studied in many laboratories due to their involvement in numerous diseases. One of the most
important examples of these diseases is the unusual accumulation of various gangliosides in tumor cells. This has led many
researchers to explore ways to combat tumors using gangliosides and antibodies to gangliosides. Lymphoma has been shown
to have an increased level of asialo-GM2 and passive immunization with monoclonal immunoglobulin G3 antibodies to
asialo-GM2 has effectively suppressed tumor formation in these cells.1 Asialo-GM2 has been identified as a receptor for many
types of bacteria including Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae. In the metabolism of asialo-GM2, the same
enzyme that synthesizes GD2 and GM2 (beta-1,4 N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase) is also responsible for the synthesis
asialo-GM2.2
References:
1. W. Young Jr and S. Hakomori “Therapy of mouse lymphoma with monoclonal antibodies to glycolipid: selection of low antigenic variants in vivo” Science, Vol. 211:4481 pp. 487-489, 1981
2. Young et al. “Cloned ß1,4 N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase Synthesizes GA2 as well as Gangliosides GM2 and GD2” Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 269:46 pp. 29227-29231, 1994