Incorporation of N-acyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-hexoses into glycosphingolipids of the pheochromocytoma cell line PC 12.

The synthesis of N-acyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-hexoses, their metabolism and their incorporation into glycosphingolipids of rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC 12 were investigated. The data indicate that in PC 12 cells the N-acyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-hexoses, N-propanoyl-D-glucosamine and N-butanoyl-D-glucosamine are metabolized to the corresponding phosphates, and that N-propanoyl-D-glucosamine is also metabolized to N-propanoyl neuraminic acid. Using variously radiolabelled N-acyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-hexoses, their incorporation into glycosphingolipids was shown.