Inhibitory effects of gangliosides on immune reactions of antibodies to neutral glycolipids in liposomes.

Specific immune damage to liposomes containing Forssman or globoside glycolipid was inhibited when the liposomes also contained ganglioside. The activity of a human monoclonal Waldenström macroglobulin antibody to Forssman glycolipid was inhibited by each of three gangliosides tested, GM3, GD1a and GD1b. Inhibition of the monoclonal antibody was dependent on the amount of ganglioside in the liposomes, and was diminished by reducing the relative amount of ganglioside. Inhibition also correlated positively with the number of ganglioside sialic acid groups, with inhibition by GT1b greater than GD1a greater than GM3. Naturally occurring human antibodies to globoside glycolipid were detected in 18% (9 out of 50) of normal human sera tested. Immune damage to liposomes induced by each of the three highest-reacting human anti-globoside sera was blocked by liposomal GM3. We conclude that gangliosides can strongly influence immune damage to membranes induced by antibody interactions with adjacent neutral glycolipids.