Complex gangliosides are apically sorted in polarized MDCK cells and internalized by clathrin-independent endocytosis.

CRESPO, PILAR MARIA; VON MUHLINEN, NATALIA; IGLESIAS-BARTOLOMÉ, RAMIRO; DANIOTTI, JOSE LUIS

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: London, England; Año: 2008 vol. 275 p. 6043 - 6043

Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids mainly present at the outer leaflet ofthe plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells, where they participate in recognitionand signalling activities. The synthesis of gangliosides is carried out inthe lumen of the Golgi apparatus by a complex system of glycosyltransferases.After synthesis, gangliosides leave the Golgi apparatus via thelumenal surface of transport vesicles destined to the plasma membrane. Inthis study, we analysed the synthesis and membrane distribution of GD3and GM1 gangliosides endogenously synthesized by Madin?Darby caninekidney (MDCK) cell lines genetically modified to express appropriate gangliosideglycosyltransferases. Using biochemical techniques and confocallaser scanning microscopy analysis, we demonstrated that GD3 and GM1,after being synthesized at the Golgi apparatus, were transported and accumulatedmainly at the plasma membrane of nonpolarized MDCK cel