Sialyllactotetraosylceramide, a Ganglioside Marker for Human Malignant Gliomas

The ganglioside composition of surgically removed human glioma tissue was shown to differ from that of normal adult brain tissue. First, it contained reduced amounts of the major normal brain gangliosides of the gangliotetraose series. Second, it contained increased proportions of gangliosides not detected in normal brain tissue. One of these was isolated and established as being sialyllactotetraosylceramide 3'-isoLM1. Radioimmunoassay for this ganglioside antigen in human glioma tissue revealed that 14/14 specimens of grades III and IV were positive but only 1/4 of grade II. Normal brain tissue was negative. These results suggest that sialyllactotetraosylceramide is a marker for human malignant gliomas.