Date of Award

8-1983

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. J . Lindsley Foote

Second Advisor

Dr. Jochanan Stenesh

Third Advisor

Dr. Michael E. McCarville

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Darwin A. Buthala

Abstract

The four major glycosphingolipids, glucosyl ceramide, lactosyl ceramide, galactosyl lactosyl ceramide and globoside were isolated from both diseased and normal tissue from human aorta by solvent extraction followed by solvent partitioning and column chromatography. The levels of each were then determind quantitatively by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) after derivatization. The individual glycosphingolipids were isolated by semi-preparative HPLC and the fatty acid composition of each was determined, after methanolysis, by gas chromatography.

In the diseased tissue, the amount of glycosphingolipid as well as the amount of crude lipid increased relative to the normal tissue. The relative amounts of cerebrosides increased in the diseased tissue whereas the longer carbohydrate chain length glycosphingolipids decreased or remained the same. The fatty acid composition of the glycosphingolipids from the two types of tissues was found to be considerably different. The degree of unsaturation was found to increase in the longer chain length fatty acids in the diseased tissue as compared to the normal tissue. The relative differences in the fatty acid compositions were similar among all four glycosphingolipids.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

Included in

Biochemistry Commons

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