Neutral glycolipids are differentially expressed in functionally distinct subpopulations of murine lymphocytes. Subpopulations of B cells can be studied by examining hybridoma lines derived from fusion of splenic B lymphocytes with the mouse myeloma SP2/0. We are analyzing total neutral glycolipids from hybridomas by thin layer chromatography and by GC/MS analysis of oligosaccharides after trifluoroacetolysis. Hybridomas from Balb/c splenocytes express glycolipids containing from two to five simple sugars. These include globoside and its precursors as well as asialo-GM2 and 2' fucosyllactosyl ceramide. The goal of this project is to correlate expression of oligosaccharide chains of glycolipids with functional parameters of B cell subsets such as responsiveness to Type I and Type II antigens.
