scholarly journals Fabry Disease: Molecular Basis, Pathophysiology, Diagnostics and Potential Therapeutic Directions

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Ken Kok ◽  
Kimberley C. Zwiers ◽  
Rolf G. Boot ◽  
Hermen S. Overkleeft ◽  
Johannes M. F. G. Aerts ◽  
...  

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) characterized by the deficiency of α-galactosidase A (α-GalA) and the consequent accumulation of toxic metabolites such as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotriaosylsphingosine (lysoGb3). Early diagnosis and appropriate timely treatment of FD patients are crucial to prevent tissue damage and organ failure which no treatment can reverse. LSDs might profit from four main therapeutic strategies, but hitherto there is no cure. Among the therapeutic possibilities are intravenous administered enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), oral pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT) or enzyme stabilizers, substrate reduction therapy (SRT) and the more recent gene/RNA therapy. Unfortunately, FD patients can only benefit from ERT and, since 2016, PCT, both always combined with supportive adjunctive and preventive therapies to clinically manage FD-related chronic renal, cardiac and neurological complications. Gene therapy for FD is currently studied and further strategies such as substrate reduction therapy (SRT) and novel PCTs are under investigation. In this review, we discuss the molecular basis of FD, the pathophysiology and diagnostic procedures, together with the current treatments and potential therapeutic avenues that FD patients could benefit from in the future.

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 206
Author(s):  
Olga Azevedo ◽  
Miguel Fernandes Gago ◽  
Gabriel Miltenberger-Miltenyi ◽  
Nuno Sousa ◽  
Damião Cunha

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations of the GLA gene that lead to a deficiency of the enzymatic activity of α-galactosidase A. Available therapies for FD include enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) (agalsidase alfa and agalsidase beta) and the chaperone migalastat. Despite the large body of literature published about ERT over the years, many issues remain unresolved, such as the optimal dose, the best timing to start therapy, and the clinical impact of anti-drug antibodies. Migalastat was recently approved for FD patients with amenable GLA mutations; however, recent studies have raised concerns that “in vitro” amenability may not always reflect “in vivo” amenability, and some findings on real-life studies have contrasted with the results of the pivotal clinical trials. Moreover, both FD specific therapies present limitations, and the attempt to correct the enzymatic deficiency, either by enzyme exogenous administration or enzyme stabilization with a chaperone, has not shown to be able to fully revert FD pathology and clinical manifestations. Therefore, several new therapies are under research, including new forms of ERT, substrate reduction therapy, mRNA therapy, and gene therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art on the currently approved and emerging new therapies for adult patients with FD.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1465-1468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Lachmann

There are over 70 human diseases that are caused by defects in various aspects of lysosomal function. Until 20 years ago, the only specific therapy available for lysosomal storage disorders was allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Over the last two decades, there has been remarkable progress and there are now licensed treatments for seven of these diseases. In some cases, a choice of agents is available. For selected enzyme-deficiency disordes, ERT (enzyme-replacement therapy) has proved to be highly effective. In other cases, ERT has been less impressive, and it seems that it is not possible to efficiently deliver recombinant enzyme to all tissues. These difficulties have led to the development of other small-molecule-based therapies, and a drug for SRT (substrate-reduction therapy) is now licensed and potential chaperone molecules for ERT are in the late stages of clinical development. Nonetheless, there is still significant unmet clinical need, particularly when it comes to treating LSDs which affect the brain. LSDs have led the way in the development of treatment for genetic disorders, and it seems likely that there will be further therapeutic innovations in the future.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Kåks ◽  
Peter Magnusson

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder where deficient or completely absent activity of the enzyme α-galactosidas A leads to accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and other glycosphingolipids in lysosomes. The condition is rare, approximately 1:50,000, although underdiagnosis seems frequent. The condition can affect multiple organ systems, including the skin, nervous system, kidneys, and heart. Early manifestations include skin lesions (angiokeratoma), neuropathic pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Later on, FD can result in cardiomyopathy, kidney failure, and stroke. Both lifespan and health-related quality of life are affected negatively by FD. Patients are divided into a classical or a non-classical phenotype based on presentation, where the diagnosis of classical FD requires that a set of specific criteria are met. Patients with non-classical FD often have a less severe disease course, sometimes limited to one organ. The hereditary pattern is X-linked. Thus, men are in general more severely affected than women, although there is an overlap in symptomatic burden. Two types of specific treatment options are available: enzyme replacement therapy and pharmacological chaperone therapy. In addition to this, management of each organ manifestation with usual treatment is indicated.


2003 ◽  
Vol 358 (1433) ◽  
pp. 955-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Moyses

Glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage disorders are inherited enzyme deficiencies that result in pathological lysosomal accumulation of glycolipids, with widespread clinical consequences. Type 1 Gaucher disease is the commonest of these; the deficient enzyme in this condition is glucocerebrosidase. Clinical manifestations include hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, recurrent infections and skeletal lesions. The condition can be treated with intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Substrate reduction therapy is a new approach in which glycolipid accumulation is counteracted not by replacing the deficient enzyme but by reducing the substrate level to better balance residual activity of the deficient enzyme. Miglustat is an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, a key enzyme in GSL synthesis. Oral administration of miglustat to patients with type 1 Gaucher disease attenuates the synthesis of glucocerebroside, the substrate of the deficient glucocerebrosidase. In the first clinical study, patients with type 1 Gaucher disease who had enlargement of the liver or spleen and (if present) the spleen at baseline received 12 months treatment with oral miglustat. There were mean decreases in liver and spleen volumes of 12% (7.9–16.4, p < 0.001) and 19% (14.3–23.7, p < 0.001), respectively. Mean haemoglobin increased by 0.26 g dl −1 (−0.5−0.57, not statistically significant) and platelet count by 8.3 × 10 9 l −1 (1.9–14.7, p = 0.014).


2017 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 703-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Guérard ◽  
Daniel Oder ◽  
Peter Nordbeck ◽  
Christian Zwingelstein ◽  
Olivier Morand ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (40) ◽  
pp. 5110-5118
Author(s):  
Jayesh Sheth ◽  
Aadhira Nair

: Lysosomal storage disorders comprise a group of approximately 70 types of inherited diseases resulting due to lysosomal gene defects. The outcome of the defect is a deficiency in either of the three: namely, lysosomal enzymes, activator protein, or transmembrane protein, as a result of which there is an unwanted accumulation of biomolecules inside the lysosomes. The pathophysiology of these conditions is complex affecting several organ systems and nervous system involvement in a majority of cases. Several research studies have well elucidated the mechanism underlying the disease condition leading to the development in devising the treatment strategies for the same. Currently, these approaches aim to reduce the severity of symptoms or delay the disease progression but do not provide a complete cure. The main treatment methods include Enzyme replacement therapy, Bone marrow transplantation, Substrate reduction therapy, use of molecular chaperones, and Gene therapy. This review article presents an elaborate description of these strategies and discusses the ongoing studies for the same.


2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Narajczyk ◽  
Marta Moskot ◽  
Aleksandra Konieczna

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are severe inherited metabolic disorders caused by storage of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The level of accumulated GAGs is an important parameter in assessment of the severity of the disease and the efficacy of treatment; unfortunately, biochemical methods are often unreliable and only semi-quantitative. Therefore, finding other methods for estimation of GAG levels and/or assessment of the efficacy of applied therapy is very important. Although monitoring of GAG levels during therapy is crucial, in this work it is proposed that analysis of the ultrastructure of MPS cells by electron microscopic techniques can be considered as an alternative and reliable method for assessment of lysosomal storage. The number of complex lysosomal structures was found to be significantly higher in MPS cells relative to controls, while it decreased significantly in response to either enzyme replacement therapy or substrate reduction therapy. Thus, this parameter, easily assessed by electron microscopy, appears to correspond to the physiological state of MPS cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6518
Author(s):  
Andrea Modrego ◽  
Marilla Amaranto ◽  
Agustina Godino ◽  
Rosa Mendoza ◽  
José Luis Barra ◽  
...  

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the gene for the α-galactosidase A (GLA) enzyme. The absence of the enzyme or its activity results in the accumulation of glycosphingolipids, mainly globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in different tissues, leading to a wide range of clinical manifestations. More than 1000 natural variants have been described in the GLA gene, most of them affecting proper protein folding and enzymatic activity. Currently, FD is treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT). However, as both approaches show specific drawbacks, new strategies (such as new forms of ERT, organ/cell transplant, substrate reduction therapy, or gene therapy) are under extensive study. In this review, we summarize GLA mutants described so far and discuss their putative application for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of FD. Unfavorable mutants with lower activities and stabilities than wild-type enzymes could serve as tools for the development of new pharmacological chaperones. On the other hand, GLA mutants showing improved enzymatic activity have been identified and produced in vitro. Such mutants could overcome several complications associated with current ERT, as lower-dose infusions of these mutants could achieve a therapeutic effect equivalent to that of the wild-type enzyme.


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