Developmental profiles of glycolipids in mouse small intestine

The major gangliosides were isolated from small intestine of 2-week-old mice of C3H/He strain and identified as GM3, GM1, and GD1a. These gangliosides characteristically contained a phytosphingosine moiety and alpha-hydroxy fatty acids. The gangliosides contained both N-glycolylneuraminic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid. Gangliosides GM3, GM1, and GD1a contents increased in mouse small intestine during the suckling period, and decreased after weaning. In contrast, neutral glycosphingolipids appeared after weaning, except for monohexosyl ceramide, which was present at a fairly constant level throughout postnatal life. The same results were obtained with mice of other strains and germ-free ICR mice, although such changes could not be observed in rats. These observations indicate that the developmental change in the composition of glycosphingolipids occurs in a species-specific manner.