Menstrual cycle-associated expression of 2-hydroxy fatty acyl phytosphingosine-containing GlcCer, LacCer and Gb3Cer in human uterine endometrium.

In the previous study, we found that sulfatide was characteristically expressed in the secretory phase of human uterine endometrium and that the metabolism of glycosphingolipids was strictly controlled by sex steroid hormones. Therefore, the neutral glycosphingolipid composition of human uterine endometrium in the proliferative and secretory phases was analyzed and was found to be characteristic in both phases. The major neutral glycolipids were GlcCer, LacCer, Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer. The concentrations of GlcCer, LacCer and Gb3Cer in the secretory phase were higher than those in the proliferative phase. Furthermore, on TLC, GlcCer, LacCer and Gb3Cer in the proliferative phase gave three bands, the 3rd band, which migrated to the lowest position, being much more predominant in the secretory phase. The individual band materials in both phases were purified by silica gel column chromatography, and their structures were analyzed by FABMS and GLC. The lower-migrating bands of GlcCer, LacCer and Gb3Cer were found to contain molecules with 2-hydroxy fatty acyl phytosphingosine, indicating that hydroxylation of the fatty acid and sphingosine moieties to give 2-hydroxy fatty acid- and phytosphingosine-containing glycosphingolipids, respectively, is induced selectively in the secretory phase on a change in the hormonal environment.