Chemical characterization of penta-, hexa-, hepta-, octa-, and nonaglycosylceramides of rat small intestine having a globoside-like terminus.

A novel series of glycosphingolipids has been isolated from the nonepithelial part of rat small intestine. A mixed fraction containing 3 major components corresponding to glycolipids with 5, 6, and 7 sugars and 2 minor components with 8 and 9 sugars was characterized. The structure of the major components was deduced by mass spectrometry and proton NMR spectroscopy of nondegraded permethylated and permethylated-reduced (LiAlH4) derivatives and gas-liquid chromatography of degradation products of native, permethylated, and permethylated-reduced glycolipids. The structures of the penta-, hexa-, and hepta-glycosylceramides were found to be GalNAcp beta 1 leads to (3Galp alpha 1 leads to)2-44Galp beta 1 leads to 4Glcp beta 1 leads to 1Cer. By analogy reasoning, supported by mass spectrometry, the octa- and nonaglycosylceramides were concluded to have 1 and 2 additional internal leads to 3Galp alpha 1 leads to 3 structures, respectively. A pentaglycosylceramide fraction from another rat strain was also isolated. The NMR spectra were in agreement with 2 isomeric structures of which 1 had the internal alpha 1 leads to 4 linkage replaced by an alpha 1 leads to 3 linkage. The fatty acids of all components were nonhydroxy 16:0 to 24:0 acids with the 18:0 homologue as dominating species. The major base was sphingosine and possibly monohydroxy 18:1 base in the larger glycolipids. This is a novel series of structures with a terminal saccharide identical with isoglobotetraoxylceramide (cytolipin R). The glycosyltransferase for the terminal GalNAc beta 1 leads to 3 of cytolipin R may possibly be identical with the enzyme adding the terminal sugar of this novel series. This is supported by the presence in the same tissue of probable precursor glycolipids with 4 to 8 hexoses.