Oxygenation alters ganglioside expression in rat liver following partial hepatectomy

Gangliosides from livers of weanling rats were analyzed after 15% partial hepatectomy (PH) and different pre- and post-operative hyberbaric oxygenation (pre- and postHBO). Neu5Ac was the predominant ganglioside-derived sialic acid (>85%) compared to Neu5Gc. Almost identical low total sialic acid content (Neu5Ac+Neu5Gc) of the control and operated nonHBO animals opposed a 6.4- to 7.6-fold increase in pre- and postHBO animals (69.26 and 81.64pmol/mg wet weight, respectively). NanoESI-QTOF mass spectrometry combined with HPTLC immunostaining revealed GM3(Neu5Ac) and GM3(Neu5Gc) as major gangliosides, correlating with the respective sialic acid concentrations. Minor neolacto-series gangliosides were enhanced in preHBO and postHBO, but GM1-core gangliosides only in preHBO rats. GM2 and GalNAc-GM1b were clearly detectable in oxygenated rats compared to traces in the control and nonHBO animals. These results point at a functional role of gangliosides in liver growth regulation and reconstitution after PH combined with pre- and post-operative HBO treatment.