Anti GM1 antibodies affect the function and the structure of lipid rafts

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790899
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: UEDA AKIHIRO 藤田保健衛生大学, 医学部, 講師 (20600703)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: lipid rafts / GM1ganglioside / ガングリオシド / 中性スフィンゴミエリナーゼ / sphingomyelinase / スフィンゴミエリン / Trk / 抗体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Important signaling molecules (e.g. Trk-tyrosine kinase etc.) and glycolipids are present inside microdomains named ‘lipid rafts’ in the plasma membrane. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is essential for neuronal differentiation and survival in vivo and its functional receptor is Trk tyrosine kinase. Researchs to date, we have demonstrated that anti-GM1 antibodies directly influence the integrity of lipid rafts. The Trk protein is translocated from the original location of lipid rafts to non-lipid rafts fraction.　Previous studies have shown that neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) is located in lipid rafts unlike acid sphingomyelinase in lysosomes and is postulated to be an important regulatory factor for the local contents of sphingomyelin in lipid rafts. In the present study, we found that anti-GM1 antibodies caused the alteration of nSMase activity in the plasma membrane fraction. Thus, anti-GM1 antibodies affect not only Trk protein function but also nSMase actions.

Free Research Field

神経内科学