Bronchial hyperreactivity associated with tracheal gangliosides.

Gangliosides, which are membrane constituents of animal cells, may be altered under various conditions that cause change in metabolism. In this study, gangliosides from tracheal and lung tissues were extracted and measured as a function of bronchial hyperreactivity in a guinea pig model of bronchial asthma. When plotted logarithmically, the data showed that tracheal gangliosides decreased with an increase in airway reactivity index, suggesting a linear relation between them. Differential analysis of tracheal gangliosides in the acute stage of bronchial hyperreactivity indicates accumulation of polysialogangliosides. These data support the hypothesis that tracheal gangliosides are intimately involved in the development of bronchial asthma.