Glycosphingolipids in feces of germ-free rats as a source for studies of developmental changes of intestinal epithelial cell surface carbohydrates.

Non-acid and acid glycosphingolipids were isolated from feces of one litter of germ-free rats from day 17 to day 51. Quantitative and qualitative changes described for small intestine of conventional rats [Bouhours D, Bouhours J-F (1981) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 99:1384-89] were also found in the feces of these germ-free rats. A decrease in lactosylceramide and sialyllactosylceramide excretion and a change from N-acetylneuraminic acid to N-glycoloylneuraminic acid, as well as an appearance of type 1 chain blood group H-active penta- and decaglycosylceramides were observed during the weaning period. Thus the dramatic changes seen in rat intestinal glycosphingolipids postnatally seem to be primarily regulated by non-microbial factors.