Article
Age-dependent and regional heterogeneity in the long-chain base of A-series gangliosides observed in the rat brain using MALDI Imaging
Science Reports
(2017)
Abstract
Alterations in the long chain base of the sphingosine moiety of gangliosides have been shown to play a role in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. Indeed, the accumulation of d20:1 sphingosine has been referred to as a metabolic marker of aging in the brain, however, this remains to be shown in simple gangliosides GM2 and GM3. In this study, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry (MALDI IMS) was used to examine the neuroanatomical distribution of A-series gangliosides with either 18 or 20 carbon sphingosine chains (d18:1 or d20:1) in Fisher 344 rats across the lifespan. The ratio of d20:1/d18:1 species was determined across 11 regions of interest in the brain. Interestingly, a decrease in the d20:1/d18:1 ratio for GM2 and GM3 was observed during early development with the exception of the peri-ventricular corpus callosum, where an age-dependent increase was observed for ganglioside GM3. An age-dependent increase in d20:1 species was confirmed for complex gangliosides GM1 and GD1 with the most significant increase during early development and a high degree of anatomical heterogeneity during aging. The unique neuroanatomically-specific responses of d20:1 ganglioside abundance may lead to a better understanding of regional vulnerability to damage in the aging brain.
Disciplines
Publication Date
Fall November 23, 2017
Citation Information
Sarah Caughlin, Shikhar Maheshwari, Nina Weishaupt, Ken K-C Yeung, et al.. "Age-dependent and regional heterogeneity in the long-chain base of A-series gangliosides observed in the rat brain using MALDI Imaging" Science Reports Vol. 7 Iss. 1 (2017) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/david-cechetto/3/