Exogenous gangliosides may affect methylation mechanisms in neuronal cell cultures.

Primary neurons in culture from chick embryo cerebral hemispheres were treated with a mixture of gangliosides added to the growth medium (final concentration: 10(-5)M and 10(-8)M) from the 3rd to the 6th day in vitro. Under these conditions methylation processes measured with [3H] and [35S] methionine and [3H]ethanolamine as precursors showed an increased methylation of [3H]ethanolamine containing phospholipids, a correspondent increased conversion of these compounds to [3H]choline containing phospholipids, and a general increased methylation of trichloroacetic acid precipitable macromolecules containing labeled methionine. A small increase in protein synthesis was observed after incubation of neurons with [3H]- and [35S]methionine. This was confirmed after electrophoretic separation of a protein extract with increased 3H- and 35S-labeling in protein bands with moecular weights between 50 and 60 KDaltons. A protein band of about 55 KDaltons appeared to be preferentially labelled when [3H] methionine was the precursor. The treatment with gangliosides increased the incorporation of [methyl-3H] label after incubation of neurons with [3H] methionine, into total DNA and decreased that of total RNA. The treatment of neurons in culture with exogenous gangliosides hence affects differently methylation processes, a finding which may confirm the involvement of gangliosides on the intracellular mediation of neuronal information mechanisms.