Biologically Active Glycosides from Asteroidea, 43. Isolation and Structure of a New Neuritogenic-Active Ganglioside Molecular Species from the Starfish Linckia laevigata

A ganglioside molecular species, LLG-5 (1), has been obtained from the water soluble lipid fraction of the CHCl3/MeOH extract of the starfish Linckia laevigata. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic findings, the structure of 1 has been elucidated. Negative ion FAB-MS provided important information both on the structure of the sugar moiety and on the molecular mass of the ganglioside. 1 is a new ganglioside molecular species possessing a 2→11 linked linear-type trisialosyl moiety. Moreover, 1 exhibited neuritogenic activity in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells in the presence of nerve growth factor.