Roles of glycosphingolipids in enterocytes for lipid absorption

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790298
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: TAJIMA Orie 中部大学, 生命健康科学部, 准教授 (10362237)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ガングリオシド / 脂肪酸吸収 / 脂質ラフト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Double knockout (DKO) mice of GM2/GD2 synthase and GD3 synthase lacked all ganglio-series gangliosides including asialo-series, except GM3, despite the fact that composition of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in small intestine of wild type (WT) mice was converted from GM3, GM1 and GD1a to GA1 during sucking-to-weanling transition. Analysis of fractionated membrane extracts revealed that fundamental molecules including cholesterol and galectin-4 dispersed from the GEM/rafts in the DKO mice. As for floating patterns of lipid-binding proteins, levels of raft-associated FAT/CD36 and FATP4 were significantly decreased in the DKO mice, while these molecules appeared in both raft and non-raft fractions in the wild type mice. Isolated enterocytes from the DKO mice showed significantly reduced fatty acid uptake. These results strongly suggested that proper composition of GSL is critical to regulate architecture and functions of GEM/rafts, and fatty acid uptake via these microdomains.

Free Research Field

生化学