Evidence for the noninvolvement of sulfogalactosylceramide (cerebroside sulfate) in the enkephalin (opiate) receptor.

Mouse neuroblastoma clonal cell line N4TG1 has 20,000 enkephaline (opiate) receptor binding sites/cell, but contains undetectable levels of sulfogalactosylceramide as judged by quantitative and isotope-labeling studies. Mouse glioma cell lines G26-20 and G26-24 contain substantial quantities of sulfogalactosylceramide, but do not bind enkephalins. Preincubation of cells with sulfogalactosylceramide or other anionic glycosphingolipids did not enhance or induce opiate receptors. Thus, sulfogalactosylceramide is not an integral part of the opiate receptor of N4TG1 cells.