| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000)
Fiscal Year 1987: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1986: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Ganglioside researches directed to brain function have not been reported,although high concentiation of gangliosides in neurons is attracting great interests,In this study, (1) good methods for isolating and analyzing brain gangliosides which are composed of many molecular species were deveioped; (2) using these methods,the localization of gangliosides in synapses was determined in relation to brain synaptic funcion; (3) the relationship between age-related changes in synaptic function and the changes of sysnaptic membrane gangliosides; (4) a possibility that synaptic functions such as acetylcholine release can be modified by supplementing gangliosides was tested.
Pusuing the methodology by whic quantitative isolation and least contamination could be achieved,new methods were developed for isolation and analysis of gangliosides.Major points were introduction of newly developed ion-exchange resin and establishment of new solvent systems for high-performance liquid chromatography. It was equally applicable to thin-layer chromatography. On the issue of the relationship between synaptic function and gangliosides,the following new findings were obtained. The ganglioside contents in synaptic plasma membranes are highest at young stage and rapidly decrease in abult. Concomitantly,the membrane fluidity is reduced.In this membrane system,cholesterol to phospholipid ratio may not make much contribution in controlling membrane fluidity.The reduced membrane fluididty was proved to cause partial impairment of acetylcholine release.Finally,the age-related loss of membrane fluidity could be restored by the addition of exogenous gangliosides.
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