University of California

Stephan Ladisch

Akira Hasegawa

A method for suppressing immune responses in animals by administering gangliosides to the animal. Gangliosides having terminal sialic acid groups are disclosed as being especially effective as immunosuppressive agents. The especially effective immunosuppressive gangliosides include G,and G,. Ganglioside compositions for use in suppressing immune responses are also disclosed.

Gangliosides with immunosuppressive activity

Synthetic compounds which are useful for suppressing an immune response are disclosed. The synthetic compounds have the formula ##STR1## wherein A is a carbohydrate moiety which corresponds to the carbohydrate moiety of a naturally occurring ganglioside, n is 5 to 20 and m is to 20. Also presented are methods for suppressing an immune response in an animal and compositions of matter employing the compounds as shown above.

Synthetic ganglioside derivatives

A method for suppressing immune responses in animals by administering a mixture of gangliosides to the animal where the gangliosides have heterogeneous ceramide structures containing fatty acid portions with carbon chain lengths of 21-30 or less than 18 carbon atoms. Ganglioside mixtures which are homogeneous with respect to the fatty acid portion are also effective immunosuppressive agents when the carbon chain length of the fatty acid portion is less than 18. Compositions containing the above specified ganglioside mixtures are also disclosed.

Gangliosides with immunosuppressive ceramide moieties

Lipid emulsions for human therapy containing cholesterol or other sterols in an amount effective to substantially mitigate immunosuppressive and antiproliferative effects. The use of these novel lipid emulsions in subjects receiving hyperalimentation therapy.

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Stephan Ladisch