Gangliosides of the human gastrointestinal mucosa.

Gangliosides of the human alimentary mucosa were purified and analysed with thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The content of ganglioside neuraminic acid was 0.16 mumol/g dry weight in the stomach, 0.07 mumol/g dry weight in the small intestine and 0.11 mumol/g dry weight in the large intestine. Mono- and disialosylhemosides were the major gangliosides, on a molar basis 68% of the total found in the stomach and 44% of the total in the small and large intestine. Considerable amounts of more complex gangliosides were found, especially in the small and large intestine, in which the molar content of tri- and tetraglycosylgangliosides containing galactosamine made up 38% of the total. Two glucosamine-containing gangliosides were also found, the probable structures of which were mono- and disialotetraglycosylceramide. The presence of the latter is reported for the first time.