Neuritogenesis, Not Receptor Expression, of NG108-15 Cells Can be Modulated by Monosialoganglioside GM1

In this study, involvement of gangliosides in neurite outgrowth and receptor expression of the neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid NG108-15 cloned cells was investigated. Monosialoganglioside GM1 (100 μM) and disialoganglioside GD1a (100 μM) were applied to the culture medium at different concentrations of fetal bovine serum, 1-10%, with or without addition of dibutyryl adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (500 μM). In some experiments, 5 mg/ml of cholera toxin B was added to the media to block endogenous GM1. The results indicated that GM1 had an influence on cell proliferation and neuritogenesis but did not induce muscarinic receptor expression of NG108-15 cells.