Gangliosides in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Gangliosides of human acute myelomonocytic leukaemia (AMMoL), acute monocytic leukaemia (AMoL) and lymphoblastoid (pre-B) lymphoma cells were analysed by overpressured thin-layer chromatography (OPTLC) followed by scanning densitometry. AMMoL cells were found to contain four gangliosides, viz. GM3 (47.2%), GM1 (31.8%), GD1a (7.5%) and an unidentified compound migrating between GM1 and GD1a (13.5%). In AMoL cells, six components were identified (GM3:51.3%, GM1:13.4%, GD3:7.8%, GD1a:4.7%, GD1b:6%, and an unidentified compound migrating between GM2 and GM1). The total gangliosides extracted from pre-B lymphoma cells of the hand-mirror variant were composed of 10 species (GM3:50.8%, GM2:11.2%, GM1:7.8%, GD3:2.3%, GD1a:1.1%, GD1b:2.2%, GT1:1.6%, and three unidentified components with chromatographic mobilities between GM2 and GD1a). Additional studies must still be performed to clarify the question as to whether ganglioside GD3 represent a qualitative glycolipid marker for AMoL and pre-B lymphoblastic lymphoma.