Gangliosides modulate various T cell effector functions through poorly defined mechanisms.
To begin to understand one of their effects, the present study examined how normal brain-
derived gangliosides suppress T cell proliferation using the murine T cell line, EL4, as a
model. Gangliosides inhibited EL4 cell growth by causing progressive cell cycle arrest.
Dephosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) appeared to be the principal
mechanism through which this effect was produced. Since okadaic acid could reverse both …