PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Pascher

Publications and source records attributed to I Pascher.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Chemical structures of three fucogangliosides isolated from nervous tissue of mini-pig.

In the nervous tissue of miniature pig, type Göttingen, three fucosyl-containing gangliosides are major gangliosides. All three were found in dorsal-root ganglia and spinal cord, but only two of them in the forebrain. The concentrations of these gangliosides were increased in chloroquine intoxication. Their chemical structures were determined by component analysis, partial acid and enzymatic degradation and assay of the partially methylated sugars after hydrolysis, reduction and acetylation. Mass spectrometric analysis of the intact gangliosides as permethylated, permethylated-reduced and permethylated-reduced-silylated derivatives confirmed the following structures of the three gangliosides. (See Formula in text).

Animals↗

The molecular structure of lecithin dihydrate.

Lecithin is a major structural component of biological membranes. Because of their amphipathic nature, lecithin and related phospholipids tend to aggregate as bilayer structures in which the hydrophilic head groups are orientated towards the surface and the hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains towards the interior. A detailed knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of lecithins will aid in the understanding of their role in membrane structure and function, but is still lacking. To this end we have now crystallised and solved the molecular structure of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (DMPC), a lecithin species in the naturally occurring configuration. This compound crystallises from a water-containing solution, with two water molecules (5% w/w) of hydration.

Crystallography↗

Structural analysis by mass spectrometry of the major mammalian retinal ganglioside, a sialyl-sialyl-dihexosyl-ceramide.

The major mammalian retinal ganglioside was analysed by mass spectrometry. Three types of derivatives were used, the fully methylated, the methylated and reduced and the methylated, reduced and trimethylsilylated compound. The mass spectra unambiguously showed the ganglioside to be a sialyl-sialyl-dihexosyl-ceramide. This is the first conclusive proof that the two N-acetylneuraminic acids are bound to each other constituting the terminal disaccharide. The major species contained sphingosine and stearic acid.

Animals↗

Cholesteryl sulphate and phosphate in the solid state and in aqueous systems.

Cholesteryl sodium sulphate (CS) crystallizes as the dihydrate, the crystal structure of which is known. On heating the dihydrate, solid state phase transitions are observed at 65 degrees C and 95 degrees C and melting occurs at 165 degrees C. The structure of the high temperature phase has not been determined. Cholesteryl dihydrogen phosphate (CP) is not isostructural with any phases of CS. It undergoes a phase transition at 50 degrees C and melts at 190 degrees C. In systems with water CS is unstable whereas it was possible to determine the phase diagram of CP. In most of the composition range a crystalline hydrate is in equilibrium with a gel-phase. The latter has remarkable properties in that lamellar order exists with the 46 A lipid bilayer interleaved with water layers up to 1000 A. The monofilm behaviour of CS and CP at different pH levels is also reported.

Cholesterol↗

Accommodation of hydroxyl groups and their hydrogen bond system in a hydrocarbon matrix.

From data of a single crystal analysis of 12-D-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid methyl ester principles for the incorporation of hydroxyl groups into a hydrocarbon chain matrix can be deduced. In the crystalline compound infinite hydrogen bond systems are accommodated in an orthorhombic perpendicular chain arrangement. The orthorhombic perpendicular hydrocarbon subcell is expanded towards a hexagonal packing pattern, allowing more space and optimal geometry for the hydrogen bond system. The arrangement of the bond system in the orthorhombic perpendicular subcell requires that hydrogen bonded carbon chains carry alternatingly hydroxyl groups with opposite configuration. For the enantiomeric compound this requirement is met by a head to tail packing of molecules in a single layer arrangement. The corresponding racemates on the other hand pack head to head in double layers as confirmed by X-ray powder and IR studies. In monolayers both enantiomers and racemates behave identically. The hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyl groups apparently leads to the formation of lipid clusters, in which the geometric conditions for both a close packing of hydrocarbon chains and the formation of an extensive hydrogen bond system do not exist.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Molecular arrangements of sphingolipids. The monolayer behaviour of ceramides.

A series of synthetic ceramides have been studied at the air-water interface by recording the surface pressue-area isotherms at continuous compression. Ceramides that contain a 4,5-trans-double bond in the long chain base were found to condense into a close-packed arrangement with vertical chains already at a very low surface pressure. The corresponding saturated compounds adopt a similar close packed arrangement only at high surface pressue. At 30 dynes/cm, a lateral pressure representative of biological membranes, the area per molecule and compressibility was further found to depend on the number and configuration of the hydroxyl groups. The presence of a 2-D-hydroxyl group in the fatty acid generally promotes the condensation. A similar effect is observed if the long chain base contains a 4-D-hydroxyl group. Cis-double bonds or methyl branches in the fatty acid chain, which increase the space requirement, limit the lateral interaction of the polar group. However the 15-cis-double bond of nervonic acid can be accomodated without any distortion of the close-packing arrangement.

Air↗

Molecular arrangements in sphingolipids. Conformation and hydrogen bonding of ceramide and their implication on membrane stability and permeability.

The preferred conformation of the ceramide part of sphingolipids has been deduced from single crystal structures of a series of sphingolipid constituents: N-tetracosanoylphytosphingosine, glycosylphytosphingosine hydrochloride, sphingosine hydrochloride, triacetylsphingosine, DL-2-hydroxytetradecanoic acid and N-stearoylethanolamine. The amide group of the ceramide, which serves as a link between the hydrocarbon chains, has a basic significance for the contormation of the entire molecule. This rigid group, which comprises six atoms in a planar conformation, adopts a perpendicular orientation towards the axes of the two hydrocarbon chains. The carbonyl oxygen thereby turns into an eclipsed position with the hydrogen atoma at carbon atom 2 of the sphingosine. A parallel chain stacking is achieved by a sharp perpendicular bend of the fatty acid. This bend is produced by a sequence of two --60 degrees rotations about the C-C bonds at both sides of the alpha-carbon atom. The orientation of the hydrogen bond donors and acceptors of the amide group and the hydroxyl groups allow lateral interaction with other lipid molecules. The proposed models are supported by infrared spectra, thin-layer chromatographic behaviour and monolayer studies of synthetic model ceramides. The functional role of the hydrogen bonding groups in the ceramide part of sphingolipids is emphasized and their significance for the formation of lateral hydrogen bonds within the membrane layer and thereof arising effects on membrane stability and permeability are discussed.

Binding Sites↗

Characterization of dog small intestinal fucolipids with human blood group H activity.

Fucolipids with human blood group H activity were isolated from several dog small intestines. On the basis of mass spectrometry, periodate oxidation, enzyme degradation, methylation, and immunologic studies the following structure is proposed: Fucalpha(1 yields2)Galbeta(1 yields 4)Glc-NAcbeta(1 yields 3)Galbeta(1 yields 4)Glc-ceramide. The ceramide was shown by mass spectrometry to contain hydroxyhexadecanoic acid and phytosphingosine as major consitutuents.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Identification of a novel hepraglycosylceramide with two fucose residues and a terminal hexosamine.

A polar fucose-containing glycosphingolipid fraction isolated from dog small intestine has been characterized by mass spectrometry of intact methylated, and methylated and reduced (LiAlH4) glycolipid. The native fraction, which was homogenous on thin-layer chromatography, was shown after methylation to be a mixture of two compounds. One was identified as a hexaglycoslyceramide with the following composition and sequence: fucose-hexose(fucose)-hexosamine-hexose-hexose-ceramide, with a terminal saccharide structure similar to blood group Leb determinants. The second compound was a novel heptaglycosyceramide with the sequence: hexosamine(fucose)-hexose-tfucose)-hexosamine-hexose-hexose-ceramide. This glycolipid was also detected in human small intestine and pancreas. The dog intestinal fraction had phytosphingosine as its major base and contained almost exclusively 2-hydroxy fatty acids (16 : 0--24 : 0). The fraction of human pancreas differed in having spingosine as its major base and normal fatty acids (16 : 0--24 :0) as major acids.

Animals↗

Main structures of the Forssman glycolipid hapten and a Leb-like glycolipid of dog small intestine, as revealed by mass spectrometry. Difference in ceramide structure related to tissue localization.

Two glycolipids of dog small intestine, one with Forssman activity and one with Leb-like activity, have been characterized by mass spectrometry of methylated, and methylated and reduced (LiAlH4) derivatives. The Forssman glycolipid was conclusively shown to be a pentaglycosylceramide with the carbohydrate sequence hexosamine-hexosamine-hexose-hexose-hexose-ceramide, and with sphingosine (dihydroxy base) as major long-chain base and normal fatty acids as the only fatty acids. The Leb-like glycolipid was a hexaglycosyl-ceramide with sequence fucose-hexose-[fucose-] hexosamine-hexose-hexose-ceramide and with phytosphingosine (trihydroxy base) as major long-chain base and only 2-hydroxy fatty acids as fatty acids. The difference of two hydroxy groups in the ceramide between the two glycolipids may be related to a different tissue localization. As shown by immunofluorescense study the Forssman activity was associated with the lamina propria and the Leb-like activity to the glandular epithelium of dog small intestine.

Aluminum↗

Characterization by mass spectrometry of blood group A active glycolipids from human and dog small intestins.

Glycolipids with blood group A activity isolated from human and dog small intestine have been characterized by mass spectrometry of intact lipid in methylated and in methylated and reduced (LiAiH4) form. Without degradative studies the glycolipids were conclusively shown to be hexaglycosyleramides with phytosphingosine as the major long-chain base and hydroxypalmitic acid as the major fatty acid. The exact sugar ratio was hexose-hexosamine-deoxyhexose 3:2:1 and the sequence established as hexosamine-[deoxyhexose-]hexose-hexosamine-hexose-hexose-ceramide. Evidence is presented that mass spectrometry can differential between type ) and type 2 saccharide chains.

ABO Blood-Group System↗