[Neutral glycolipids of the calf thymus and normal and leukemic bovine lymphocytes]

The composition and structure of the neutral glycolipids of calf thymus and of lymphocytes isolated from the blood, lymph, lymph nodes and spleen of normal and leukemic cows were investigated. The main neutral glycolipids of all lymphocytes studied were identified as glucosyl, lactosyl and digalactosylglucosylceramides. The relative amounts of these glycolipids were found to depend on lymphocyte localization. Leukemic lymphocytes showed differences in the glycolipid composition in comparison with normal lymphocytes: in all preparations the level of glucosylceramide increased with a concomitant decrease of the amounts of di-and trihexaosylceramides. For leukemic blood lymphocytes the monohexaosyl-/dihexaosylceramide ratio was found to increase at increasing lymphocyte concentrations in the blood.