Application Notes:
This product contains a natural mixture of gangliosides (approximately 98% GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b) found in the
central nervous system of adult bovine. The ratio of different gangliosides changes according to age, species, and organ.
Gangliosides1 are acidic glycosphingolipids that form lipid rafts in the outer leaflet of the cell plasma membrane, especially
in neuronal cells in the central nervous system.2 They participate in cellular proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, signal
transduction, cell-to-cell interactions, tumorigenesis, and metastasis.3 The accumulation of gangliosides has been linked to
several diseases including Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease. An autoimmune response against gangliosides can lead to
Guillain-Barre syndrome. Gangliosides act as receptors for various toxins and bacteria, accumulate in different tumors, and
aid in many neuronal functions. Therefore they are very important in therapeutic processes.
References:
1. L. Svennerholm, et al. (eds.), Structure and Function of Gangliosides, New York, Plenum, 1980
2. T. Kolter, R. Proia, K. Sandhoff. Combinatorial Ganglioside Biosynthesis. J. Biol. Chem. July Vol. 277, No. 29, pp. 25859-25862, 2002
3. S. Birkle, G. Zeng, L. Gao, R. K. Yu, and J. Aubry, Role of tumor-associated gangliosides in cancer progression. Biochimie, 85, 455–463, 2003