Lymphocyte transformation induced by autologous splenocytes incorporated with the tetrasialoganglioside GQ1b.

Incorporation of the tetrasialoganglioside GQ1b into membranes of mouse splenocytes rendered these cells effective triggers in an autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction. Whereas GQ1b-incorporated cells increased mitogenic responses of thymocytes by 10 to 13-fold over untreated cultures, the trisialoganglioside GT1b was only partially effective, and the di- and monosialogangliosides tested had no effect. The mixed lymphocyte reaction generated in the autologous system by highly glycosylated gangliosides is abolished by neuraminidase or mile formic acid treatment prior to their insertion into target cell membranes suggesting a role for the extra sialic acid residues in imparting additional antigenic specificity to the modified cells.