Chemical characterization of a blood group H type pentaglycosylceramide of human small intestine.

A blood group H type pentaglycosylceramide was isolated in relatively large amounts from human adult small intestine (52 mg from one individual) and human meconium (fetal origin). The structure was made likely by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy of non-degraded permethylated and permethylated-LiAlH4-reduced glycolipid and by degradation to be Fuc alpha 1 leads to 2Gal beta 1 leads to 3GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4Glc beta 1 leads to 1Cer. The ceramide was composed mainly of phytosphingosine and 2-hydroxy 16-24 carbon fatty acids. This novel type 1 chain species (Gal beta 1 leads to 3GlcNAc) was not accompanied by the type 2 chain isomer (Gal beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc) which in contrast is the sole species in human erythrocyte and dog small intestine.