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Gangliosides and Sialylcholesterol as Modulators of Synaptic Functions a
Author(s) -
ANDO SUSUMU,
TANAKA YASUKAZU,
WAKI HATSUE,
KON KAZUO,
IWAMOTO MACHIKO,
FUKUI FUMIKO
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb09676.x
Subject(s) - acetylcholine , chemistry , calcium , depolarization , ganglioside , choline , cholinergic , biophysics , stimulation , synaptosome , voltage dependent calcium channel , calcium channel , biochemistry , neuroscience , endocrinology , membrane , biology , organic chemistry
Gangliosides were shown to enhance the release of acetylcholine from synaptosomes on stimulation. The influx of calcium ion into synaptosomes on membrane depolarization was increased by gangliosides. This was hypothesized to be an underlying mechanism for the enhancement of acetylcholine release. Studies using calcium channel blockers revealed that four distinct types of voltage‐dependent calcium channels occurred in cerebrocortical synapses, and that the N ‐type was primarily responsible for the evoked release of acetylcholine. An additional result suggests that gangliosides may act mainly on the N ‐type calcium channel. Cholinergic‐specific gangliosides, Chol‐1α, were assumed to participate in the mechanism of high‐affinity choline uptake. These two different actions of gangliosides were found to be mimicked by synthetic ganglioside analogs. Calcium influx was increased by α‐sialylcholesterol, and choline uptake was accelerated by β‐sialylcholesterol. Gangliosides and sialylcholesterol having these apparently beneficial effects were shown to ameliorate decreased functions of synapses from aged brains.