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Description

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing oligoglycosylceramides. They are classified based on the number of sialic acid residues per molecule. GM gangliosides contain one sialic acid residue, GD gangliosides contain two, GT contain three, and GQ contain four sialic acid residues. Sialyltransferase-catalyzed 2-3 sialylation of the galactose of the trisaccharide Gal 1-4Glc 1-1 Cer produces GM3, which can be further sialylated to produce GD3 with two sialic acid on the galactose. GD3 is found in melanocytes and other cells that originate in the neuroectoderm. It is expressed almost exclusively among gangliosides in the early stage of the brain development of mice and rats. It is also detected in the T cell malignant leukocytes, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells, adult T cell leukemia cells, and in activated normal human T lymphocytes. GD3 is found in almost all melanomas and is considered as an important biomarker for malignant melanoma. GD3 positive cells show markedly increased cell growth and invasive characteristics. Suppression of GD3 expression with antisense GD3 synthase cDNA is shown to reduce tumor cell phenotypes such as growth, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis in F11 cells. Intra-cytoplasmic domain of neogenin is reported to act as a driver to promote various cancer phenotypes. Ref.: Hamamura, K et al. (2005). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 102 (31), 11041 11046, Dippold, WG et al. (1985). Cancer Res. 45(8): 3699-3705, Kaneko, K et al (2016). J. Biol. Chem. (In press).