Gene therapy for metachromatic leukodystrophy

Lysosphingolipid urine screening test using mass spectrometry for the early detection of lysosomal storage disorders

Background: Sphingolipidoses are caused by a defective sphingolipid catabolism, leading to an accumulation of several glycolipid species in tissues and resulting in neurotoxicity and severe systemic manifestations. Methods & results: Urine samples from controls and patients were purified by solid-phase extraction prior to the analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) combined with MS/MS. A UPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of 21 urinary creatinine-normalized biomarkers for eight diseases was developed and validated. Conclusion: Considering the growing demand to identify patients with different sphingolipidoses early and reliably, this methodology will be applied for high-risk screening to target efficiently patients with various sphingolipidoses.

The sulfatase gene family

During the past few years, molecular analyses have provided important insights into the biochemistry and genetics of the sulfatase family of enzymes, identifying the molecular bases of inherited diseases caused by sulfatase deficiencies. New members of the sulfatase gene family have been identified in man and other species using a genomic approach. These include the gene encoding arylsulfatase E, which is involved in X-linked recessive chondrodysplasia punctata, a disorder of cartilage and bone development. Another important breakthrough has been the discovery of the biochemical basis of multiple sulfatase deficiency, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a severe of all sulfatase activities. These discoveries, together with the resolution of the crystallographic structure of sulfatases, have improved our understanding of the function and evolution of this fascinating family of enzymes.