Identification of N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing gangliosides of cat and sheep erythrocytes. 252Cf fission fragment ionization mass spectrometry in the analysis of glycosphingolipids.

A number of gangliosides were isolated from cat and sheep erythrocytes for use in analyzing the specificity of a panel of human anti-heterophile monoclonal antibodies. The structures of these compounds were determined by a combination of different procedures, including sugar analysis, glycosidase treatment, periodate oxidation, TLC immunostaining, methylation analysis, and mass spectrometry. These methods identified the cat erythrocytes gangliosides (C1 and C2) as N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc)-containing hematosides; C1 was shown to be NeuGc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta I----4Glc-Cer [NeuGc)2GD3) and C2 to be NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuAc-NeuGc-)GD3). The two sheep gangliosides (S1 and S2) were found to be novel glycolipids based on the paragloboside sequence; S1 was identified as NeuGc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuGc)2-disialylparagloboside) and S2 as NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuGc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4Glc-Cer [NeuAc-NeuGc-)-disialylparagloboside). Structural analysis of these compounds was aided by the use of 252Cf fission fragment ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This method provided easily interpretable spectra on methylated derivatives which were particularly useful in determining the sialic acid composition of the gangliosides and the sequence of their disialosyl side chains.