Ganglioside extraction from erythrocytes: a comparison study.

Several methods for ganglioside extraction from erythrocytes have been compared. Our results show that ganglioside extraction is unfavourably affected by the addition of the solvents as a mixture and by the use of less polar solvents and by a lower total solvent-to-sample ratio. In accordance with our previous observation on cholesterol and phospholipids, the distribution of gangliosides could be uneven in an apparently monophasic extraction solvent mixture. The uneven distribution occurred during and also after the extraction (in filtration and centrifugation). In the recommended method using 19 volumes of methanol/chloroform (2:1) solvent in a one-step extraction, the above disadvantages in ganglioside extraction and quantification are kept under control. This method appears simple and it gives a high recovery of gangliosides.