Polymorphiceffects of exogenousgangliosides on antigen-inducedlymphoproliferation and generation of MHCunrestrictedcellmediatedcytotoxicity

Cell membrane gangliosides have been shown to be involved in a number of biological processes including cell adhesion, signal transduction and ligand receptor interactions. In this paper we analyzed the effects of a mixture of bovine brain gangliosides, currently in clinical use, on cellmediated immune responses in vitro. We show here that exogenousgangliosides inhibit mitogen and alloantigen inducedlymphoproliferation. On the other hand effects on antigeninduced blastogenesis were exquisitely dose dependent in that while high doses of gangliosides inhibited lymphoproliferation, probably by interfering in interleukin 2 receptor interactions, lower doses significantly enhanced antigeninduced responsiveness. We also report that gangliosides inhibit the generation of lymphokine activated killer cells. Altogether, these data underline the immunoregulatory potential and the polymorphism of effects of exogenousgangliosides.