Determination of gangliosides in human cerebrospinal fluid by high-performance thin-layer chromatography and direct densitometry. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem

Summary: A method for the separation and quantification of a complex ganglioside mixture from a clinically available amount (5 ml) of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is described. After reduction of the CSF volume by ultrafiltration, gangliosides are extracted with methanol/chloroform, then separated and quantified by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and direct densitometry. For purification of crude gan-glioside extract, the method of choice was microdialysis against water. Recovery for the present method including all methodological steps was 78%. No delective loss of gangliosides was demonstrated. The CSF ganglioside pattern from 'normal ' CSF samples resembles that of brain gangliosides, particularly cerebellum gangliosides. Based on Chromatographie comparison with standards, the percentages of lipid-bound NeuAc-positive fractions were: GMI = II3NeuAc-GgOse4Cer (3%)