Gangliosides of human chronic lymphocytic leukemia and hairy cells.

Gangliosides were purified from the cells of two patients with hairy cell leukemia and one patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Quantification of these compounds showed that these cells contain only 5-15% of the amount of lipid-bound sialic acid (gangliosides) per cell as normal lymphocytes. Structural characterization by gas-liquid chromatography, glycosidase treatment and high-performance liquid chromatography demonstrated that the major gangliosides of these leukemia cells were of the lactosyl type. Hairy cells contained monosialyllactosylceramide (II3NeuAc-LacCer), whereas chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells contained both monosialyl and disialyl lactosylceramide [II3(NeuAc)2-LacCer]. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell contained lesser amounts of three other gangliosides of the neolacto or lacto series as determined by endo-beta-galactosidase treatment. None of these leukemia cells contained detectable quantities of NeuAc-LcOse3Cer, a ganglioside found in normal leukocytes.