Horse erythrocyte gangliosides: preparation of the major hematoside NeuNG1-Lac-Cer.

A simple method for the isolation of hematoside NeuNG1-Lac-Cer from horse erythrocytes is described. An aliquot of the crude ganglioside fraction was labeled by tritiated sodium borohydride after mild periodate oxidation. The compounds obtained were used as radioactive tracers in column chromatography. Gangliosides were applied onto a silicic acid column and eluted stepwise by solvents of steadily increasing polarity. The major ganglioside, NeuNG1-Lac-Cer, was eluted in a high yield by the solvent mixture chloroform/methanol/water (60:35:8, v/v/v).