A novel sulfoglycosphingolipid of mouse small intestine, IV3-sulfogangliotetraosylceramide, demonstrated by negative ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

In a comparative study of acidic glycosphingolipids in the small intestine of several species it was found that the mouse contained a complex sulfoglycolipid as a major component (Breimer, M.E., Hansson, G.C., Karlsson, K.-A., and Leffler, H. (1983) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 93, 1473-1485). Fast atom bombardment negative ion mass spectrometry proved the presence and location of the sulfate group and also showed the saccharide sequence and ceramide composition. Combined with NMR spectroscopy of the intact structure and degradative studies the structure was shown to be -O3SO----3Galp beta 1----3GalNAcp beta 1----4Galp beta 1----4Glcp beta 1----1Cer. The sulfoglycolipid was enriched in epithelial cells of mouse small intestine where it constituted at least 90% of the acidic glycolipids and 4-8 mol% of the total glycosphingolipids.