α-Galactosylceramide  (Synonyms: α-GalCer; KRN7000)

α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) is a synthetic glycolipid with antitumorial and immunostimulatory. α-Galactosylceramide is a very potent NKT cell agonist and binds effectively to CD1d. The complex of α-Galactosylceramide plus CD1d binds the NKT cell TCR (T cell antigen receptor)^[1][2][3][4].

NKT cell^[3]

Culture supernatants of activated Vα24+NKT-cell cultures stimulated with α-Galactosylceramide pulsed monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) exhibits antiproliferative activities against melanoma cells. This effect is predominantly due to release of IFN-γ, and to a lesser extent IL-12. Other cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-10, are released but these cytokines have less antiproliferative effects. Vα24+NKT-cells stimulated by α-Galactosylceramide-pulsed Mo-DCs have anti-tumour activities against human melanoma through antiproliferative effects exerted by soluble mediators^[3].

MCE has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

α-Galactosylceramide treatment can protect against spontaneous, carcinogen-, or oncogene-induced primary tumor formation in mice. Consistent with a prime role for IFN-γ in NKT cell-mediated tumor responses, a C-glycoside analog of α-Galactosylceramide that preferentially stimulated IFN-γ production is even more effective than α-Galactosylceramide at preventing metastases of the B16 melanoma^[1].
Since α-Galactosylceramide shows a potent antitumor activity and stimulates the lymphocyte proliferation (LP) on allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in the mouse, α-Galactosylceramide is considered to be a nonspecific immunostimulating agent which is a biological response modifier^[4].

MCE has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

858.34

Solid

C₅₀H₉₉NO₉

158021-47-7

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(N[C@@H](CO[C@@H]1[C@@H]([C@H]([C@H]([C@@H](CO)O1)O)O)O)[C@H](O)[C@H](O)CCCCCCCCCCCCCC)=O

Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere.

• [1]. Godfrey DI, et al. Going both ways: immune regulation via CD1d-dependent NKT cells. J Clin Invest. 2004 Nov;114(10):1379-88.  [Content Brief]

  [2]. Morita M, et al. Practical Total Synthesis of (2S,3S,4R)-1-O-(α-D-Galactopyranosyl)-N-hexacosanoyl-2-amino-1,3,4-octadecanetriol, the Antitumorial and Immunostimulatory α-Galactosylcer-amide, KRN7000. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 1996 Jan;60(2):288-92.  [Content Brief]

  [3]. Kikuchi A, et al. In vitro anti-tumour activity of alpha-galactosylceramide-stimulated human invariant Valpha24+NKT cells against melanoma. Br J Cancer. 2001 Sep 1;85(5):741-6.  [Content Brief]

  [4]. Masahiro Morita, et al. Structure-Activity Relationship of .alpha.-Galactosylceramides against B16-Bearing Mice. J. Med. Chem. 1995, 38, 12, 2176-2187.