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Shedding of G D2 ganglioside by human neuroblastoma
Author(s) -
Wu ZiLiang,
Ladisch Stephan,
Feig Stephen,
Ulsh Lisa,
Schwartz Eileen,
Floutsis Grace,
Wiley Frances,
Lenarsky Carl,
Seeger Robert
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910390113
Subject(s) - neuroblastoma , ganglioneuroblastoma , ganglioside , endocrinology , ganglioneuroma , medicine , human plasma , biology , pathology , chemistry , cell culture , biochemistry , chromatography , genetics
Substantial concentrations of the cell‐surface glycosphingolipid, the disialoganglioside G D2 , are uniformly present in human neuroblastoma tumors. This ganglioside can also be detected in the plasma of patients with neuroblastoma by direct thin‐layer chromatographic analysis. Among 32 neuroblastoma patients in all clinical stages studied prior to the initiation of treatment, 27 (84%) showed measurably elevated plasma concentrations of G D2 (≥50 pmol/ml). The mean level (545 ± 108 pmol/ml) was more than 50 times the normal plasma G D2 concentration of ≤ 10 pmol/ml. Circulating G D2 was not detected in the plasma of patients with the related, more differentiated tumors, ganglioneuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma, indicating an association of the shedding of this ganglioside with the undifferentiated phenotype. Circulating G D2 diminished in patients in response to therapy, and reappeared in patients whose disease recurred. The results suggest that the sequential determination of circulating G D2 will be of value in monitoring individual patients with neuroblastoma.