GLYCOLIPID COMPOSITION OF HUMAN TESTIS AT DIFFERENT AGES AND STEREOCHEMICAL CONFIGURATION OF SEMINOLIPID

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 487  (1) , 61-73
Abstract
The stereochemical configuration of glycerol moiety of seminolipid (1-O-alkyl-2-O-acyl-3-O-.beta.-D-(3''-sulfo)galactopyranosylglycerol) from mammalian testis was determined by measurement of optical rotatory dispersion of alkylglyceryl ether moiety, establishing the final structure of the major glycolipid from mature testis of mammals as 1-O-alkyl-2-O-acyl-3-O-.beta.-D-(3''-sulfo)-galactopyranosyl-sn-glycerol. The simple and sensitive modification of fluorometric determination of galactolipids and sphingolipids was described. This method does not require lipid extraction from silica gel of TLC and allows a quantitative assessment of the sphingoglycopilipids and galactosyl glycerides using a small amount of testicular tissue. Various lipid classes from human testis of varying age groups were compared. The total lipid and seminolipid content was highest in adult (40 yr old) testis amounting to 39.0 mg and 158.7 nmol/g tissue, respectively. Seminolipid was not detected in infant (2 yr old) or child (9 yr old) and found only at the concentration of 25.3 nmol/g in the testis of aged (60-90 yr of age) supporting the postulated relation of seminolipid with spermatogenesis and sexual activity. In contrast, ganglioside content was highest in the testis of aged, probably reflecting fibrosis of the testis. The main ganglioside was hematoside with N-acetylneuraminic acid. Gangliosides GM1 and GDla were also detected.