Gangliosides

Gangliosides, as major lipid raft (LR) constituents, provide an optimal milieu for the function and activity of various membrane proteins. One example is the Na+,K+-ATPase (NKA) vital for cell ion homeostasis. Aiming to investigate effects of gangliosides on NKA gene and protein expression, enzyme activity, and submembrane localization, we analyzed cortices and cerebella derived from a mouse model with impaired synthesis of gangliosides (St8sia1 null) in comparison with wild type (WT) mice. Gene expression of six NKA isoforms was determined by qRT-PCR, while NKA protein expression was analyzed

Gangliosides, complex membrane glycosphingolipids, engage in a variety of inter- and intracellular interactions, and play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Another membrane constituent, leptin receptor (LepR), modulates feeding behavior by influencing signaling and integration in many regions of the central nervous system. Studies show that a-series gangliosides alter leptin activity by interacting with LepR The redistribution of gangliosides can also influence the regulation of the Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase (NKA) function, whereas leptin pathways c

Fatty acids have long been considered essential for brain development, however, the involvement of fatty acid synthesis in nervous system formation is unclear. Our previous approaches using the proteomics of the growth cone revealed enrichment of the proteins involved in fatty acids (ref. 1), such as fatty acid synthase or fatty acid-binding proteins. To analyze how fatty acids contribute to the neuronal network formation, we generated mice with knockout of GPSN2, an enzyme involved in fatty acid elongation and synthesis of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA), and investigated the impact on ne