GM1 ganglioside enhances synaptosomal resistance to chemically induced damage.

A neurotoxic agent, chlordecone, damages the limiting membrane of isolated synaptosomes prepared from rat brain. This is shown by increased levels of free, ionic calcium and increased permeability of synaptosomes, using the fluorimetric probe, fura-2. Pretreatment of synaptosomes with the monosialoganglioside GM1, attenuates the effect of chlordecone. A parallel preincubation of synaptosomes with diasialoganglioside GD1A effects a similar mitigation of chlordecone-induced elevation of free calcium but does not prevent general membrane leakiness as assayed by escape of dye from synaptosomes. These data may underlie the known effect of gangliosides in enhancing neuronal regeneration after lesion induction.