Aging accentuates and bone marrow transplantation ameliorates metabolic defects in Fabry disease mice

T Ohshima, R Schiffmann, GJ Murray… - Proceedings of the …, 1999 - National Acad Sciences
T Ohshima, R Schiffmann, GJ Murray, J Kopp, JM Quirk, S Stahl, CC Chan, P Zerfas…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1999National Acad Sciences
Fabry disease is an X-linked metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of α-galactosidase A
(α-Gal A). The enzyme defect leads to the systemic accumulation of glycosphingolipids with
α-galactosyl moieties consisting predominantly of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). In patients
with this disorder, glycolipid deposition in endothelial cells leads to renal failure and cardiac
and cerebrovascular disease. Recently, we generated α-Gal A gene knockout mouse lines
and described the phenotype of 10-week-old mice. In the present study, we characterize the …
Fabry disease is an X-linked metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A). The enzyme defect leads to the systemic accumulation of glycosphingolipids with α-galactosyl moieties consisting predominantly of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). In patients with this disorder, glycolipid deposition in endothelial cells leads to renal failure and cardiac and cerebrovascular disease. Recently, we generated α-Gal A gene knockout mouse lines and described the phenotype of 10-week-old mice. In the present study, we characterize the progression of the disease with aging and explore the effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on the phenotype. Histopathological analysis of α-Gal A −/0 mice revealed subclinical lesions in the Kupffer cells in the liver and macrophages in the skin with no gross lesions in the endothelial cells. Gb3 accumulation and pathological lesions in the affected organs increased with age. Treatment with BMT from the wild-type mice resulted in the clearance of accumulated Gb3 in the liver, spleen, and heart with concomitant elevation of α-Gal A activity. These findings suggest that BMT may have a potential role in the management of patients with Fabry disease.
National Acad Sciences