Postnatal development of glycosidases and gangliosides in the rat central nervous system

The developmental profiles of sialidase, β‐galactosidase, β‐hexosaminidase and β‐glucosidase were compared to those of the gangliosides in rat brain and spinal cord. The glucosidase activities (enzyme units/g wet tissue), except β‐galactosidases, were found to be higher in brain than spinal cord, in adult rats. Among the hydrolases, β‐hexosaminidase showed a higher level of activity in both brain and spinal cord. In brain, the hydrolases, except β‐glucosidase, followed a similar developmental pattern, showing an increase from birth to 21 days, and then decreased to adult values by day 90. In the spinal cord, sialidase, β‐galactosidase, pH 3.1, and β‐hexosaminidase activities increased from birth to 21 days, reaching peak values. These activities then declined to adult values by 90 days of age. However, β‐galactosidase, pH 4.5, and β‐glucosidase activities showed a peak at day 14. Brain total ganglioside concentration (μg N‐acetylneuraminic acid/g tissue) increased slowly between birth and 7 days of age, followed by a rapid phase of increase to attain a peak value by day 21. The concentration of total gangliosides in the spinal cord is less when compared to the brain. The proportions of individual gangliosides in the central nervous system also varied during development. The rapid phase of increase in enzyme activities between 0–7 and 14–21 days and a decrease thereafter is consistent with the turnover rate of gangliosides, which in rat brain is reported to be highest between 10 and 20 days.