The 3G11+ antigen, a marker for murine CD4+ TH1 lymphocytes, is a ganglioside. Glycobiology 3:391

Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), SM3G11 and SM6C10, can be used to discriminate between functionally distinct murine CD4+ T cell subsets. In this study, we use high-performance thin-layer chromatography and immuno-staining techniques to show that the 3G11 mAb reacts with two bands of a ganglioside fraction from murine spleen and thymus, and rat spleen. The 6C10 antibody shows no evidence of glycollpid reactivity. The 3G11+ bands have a mobility between those of the reference gangliosides Gm, and Gttib from human brain. The 3G11+ reactive bands were eluted hi the disialyl fraction of rat spleen gangliosides using DEAE anion-exchange chromatography. Treatment of spleen gangliosides with endoglycoceramidase eliminates 3G11 antibody binding over time, indicating that the anti-gen contains a Gk/31-l'ceramide linkage, characteristic of