Explore the vast range of titles available.

BackgroundFabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by GLA mutations, resulting in α-galactosidase (α-Gal) deficiency and accumulation of lysosomal substrates. Migalastat, an oral pharmacological chaperone being developed as an alternative to intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), stabilises specific mutant (amenable) forms of α-Gal to facilitate normal lysosomal trafficking.MethodsThe main objective of the 18-month, randomised, active-controlled ATTRACT study was to assess the effects of migalastat on renal function in patients with Fabry disease previously treated with ERT. Effects on heart, disease substrate, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and safety were also assessed.ResultsFifty-seven adults (56% female) receiving ERT (88% had multiorgan disease) were randomised (1.5:1), based on a preliminary cell-based assay of responsiveness to migalastat, to receive 18 months open-label migalastat or remain on ERT. Four patients had non-amenable mutant forms of α-Gal based on the validated cell-based assay conducted after treatment initiation and were excluded from primary efficacy analyses only. Migalastat and ERT had similar effects on renal function. Left ventricular mass index decreased significantly with migalastat treatment (−6.6 g/m2 (−11.0 to −2.2)); there was no significant change with ERT. Predefined renal, cardiac or cerebrovascular events occurred in 29% and 44% of patients in the migalastat and ERT groups, respectively. Plasma globotriaosylsphingosine remained low and stable following the switch from ERT to migalastat. PROs were comparable between groups. Migalastat was generally safe and well tolerated.ConclusionsMigalastat offers promise as a first-in-class oral monotherapy alternative treatment to intravenous ERT for patients with Fabry disease and amenable mutations.Trial registration number:NCT00925301; Pre-results.

BackgroundFabry disease is a rare, multisystemic disorder caused by GLA gene variants that lead to alpha galactosidase A deficiency, resulting in accumulation of glycosphingolipids and cellular dysfunction. Fabry-associated clinical events (FACEs) cause significant morbidity and mortality, yet the long-term effect of Fabry therapies on FACE incidence remains unclear.MethodsThis posthoc analysis evaluated incidence of FACEs (as a composite outcome and separately for renal, cardiac and cerebrovascular events) in 97 enzyme replacement therapy (ERT)-naïve and ERT-experienced adults with Fabry disease and amenable GLA variants who were treated with migalastat for up to 8.6 years (median: 5 years) in Phase III clinical trials of migalastat. Associations between baseline characteristics and incidence of FACEs were also evaluated.ResultsDuring long-term migalastat treatment, 17 patients (17.5%) experienced 22 FACEs and there were no deaths. The incidence rate of FACEs was 48.3 events per 1000 patient-years overall. Numerically higher incidence rates were observed in men versus women, patients aged >40 years versus younger patients, ERT-naïve versus ERT-experienced patients and men with the classic phenotype versus men and women with all other phenotypes. There was no statistically significant difference in time to first FACE when analysed by patient sex, phenotype, prior treatment status or age. Lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was associated with an increased risk of FACEs across patient populations.ConclusionsThe overall incidence of FACEs for patients during long-term treatment with migalastat compared favourably with historic reports involving ERT. Lower baseline eGFR was a significant predictor of FACEs.

Fabry disease (FD) is a progressive, X-linked inherited disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism due to deficient or absent lysosomal α -galactosidase A activity. FD is pan-ethnic and the reported annual incidence of 1 in 100,000 may underestimate the true prevalence of the disease. Classically affected hemizygous males, with no residual α -galactosidase A activity may display all the characteristic neurological (pain), cutaneous (angiokeratoma), renal (proteinuria, kidney failure), cardiovascular (cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia), cochleo-vestibular and cerebrovascular (transient ischemic attacks, strokes) signs of the disease while heterozygous females have symptoms ranging from very mild to severe. Deficient activity of lysosomal α -galactosidase A results in progressive accumulation of globotriaosylceramide within lysosomes, believed to trigger a cascade of cellular events. Demonstration of marked α -galactosidase A deficiency is the definitive method for the diagnosis of hemizygous males. Enzyme analysis may occasionnally help to detect heterozygotes but is often inconclusive due to random X-chromosomal inactivation so that molecular testing (genotyping) of females is mandatory. In childhood, other possible causes of pain such as rheumatoid arthritis and 'growing pains' must be ruled out. In adulthood, multiple sclerosis is sometimes considered. Prenatal diagnosis, available by determination of enzyme activity or DNA testing in chorionic villi or cultured amniotic cells is, for ethical reasons, only considered in male fetuses. Pre-implantation diagnosis is possible. The existence of atypical variants and the availability of a specific therapy singularly complicate genetic counseling. A disease-specific therapeutic option - enzyme replacement therapy using recombinant human α -galactosidase A - has been recently introduced and its long term outcome is currently still being investigated. Conventional management consists of pain relief with analgesic drugs, nephroprotection (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptors blockers) and antiarrhythmic agents, whereas dialysis or renal transplantation are available for patients experiencing end-stage renal failure. With age, progressive damage to vital organ systems develops and at some point, organs may start to fail in functioning. End-stage renal disease and life-threatening cardiovascular or cerebrovascular complications limit life-expectancy of untreated males and females with reductions of 20 and 10 years, respectively, as compared to the general population. While there is increasing evidence that long-term enzyme therapy can halt disease progression, the importance of adjunctive therapies should be emphasized and the possibility of developing an oral therapy drives research forward into active site specific chaperones.

Enzyme and chaperone therapies are used to treat Fabry disease. Such treatments are expensive and require intrusive biweekly infusions; they are also not particularly efficacious. In this pilot, single-arm study (NCT02800070), five adult males with Type 1 (classical) phenotype Fabry disease were infused with autologous lentivirus-transduced, CD34 + -selected, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells engineered to express alpha-galactosidase A (α-gal A). Safety and toxicity are the primary endpoints. The non-myeloablative preparative regimen consisted of intravenous melphalan. No serious adverse events (AEs) are attributable to the investigational product. All patients produced α-gal A to near normal levels within one week. Vector is detected in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells, plasma and leukocytes demonstrate α-gal A activity within or above the reference range, and reductions in plasma and urine globotriaosylceramide (Gb 3 ) and globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb 3 ) are seen. While the study and evaluations are still ongoing, the first patient is nearly three years post-infusion. Three patients have elected to discontinue enzyme therapy. Treatments for Fabry disease, an inherited lysosomal disorder caused by the deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A, are not fully efficacious. Here the authors report a single-arm phase I trial of gene therapy with autologous, lentivirus-transduced, hematopoietic cells that express alpha-galactosidase A to demonstrate that this approach is safe in five patients with Fabry disease.

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder in which α-galactosidase (GLA) deficiency leads to a build-up of globo-triaosylceramide (Gb3) in various cell types. Gb3 accumulation leads to the abnormalities of microvascular function associated with FD. Previously, we discovered significant abnormalities in vascular endothelial cells (VECs) derived from FD-induced pluripotent stem cells. We then used a cell-based system to screen a group of clinical compounds for candidates capable of rescuing those abnormalities. Lomerizine was one of the most promising candidates because it alleviated a variety of FD-associated phenotypes both in vitro and in vivo. Lomerizine reduced mitochondria Ca 2+  levels, ROS generation, and the maximal respiration of FD-VECs in vitro. This led to a suppression of the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and rescued FD-VEC function. Furthermore, FD-model mice (Gla−/−/TSP1Tg) treated orally with lomerizine for 6 months showed clear improvement of several FD phenotypes, including left ventricular hypertrophy, renal fibrosis, anhidrosis, and heat intolerance. Thus, our results suggest lomerizine as a novel candidate for FD therapy.

Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) is a multisystem X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A). This deficiency results in the intracellular accumulation of glycosphingolipids, primarily uncleaved globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and its deacylated form, lyso-globotriaosylceramide (Lyso-Gb3), leading to progressive organ damage and functional impairment. The diagnostic evaluation for AFD involves clinical assessment and family history, supported by biochemical testing (α-Gal A enzyme activity and Lyso-Gb3 levels) and genetic analysis of the GLA gene. In cases of unexplained renal impairment or when genetic analysis is inconclusive, kidney biopsy is often required to confirm the diagnosis and guide targeted treatments. However, histological findings in kidney biopsies may sometimes be nonspecific, complicating the diagnostic process. This article aims to provide an updated perspective on the role of kidney biopsy in AFD, illustrating two cases that exemplify its pivotal role in confirming or excluding the suspected disease, proving to be both decisive and confounding in this complex clinical setting.

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked hereditary defect of glycosphingolipid storage caused by mutations in the gene encoding the lysosomal hydrolase α-galactosidase A (GLA, α-gal A). To date, over 400 mutations causing amino acid substitutions have been described. Most of these mutations are related to the classical Fabry phenotype. Generally in lysosomal storage disorders a reliable genotype/phenotype correlation is difficult to achieve, especially in FD with its X-linked mode of inheritance. In order to predict the metabolic consequence of a given mutation, we combined in vitro enzyme activity with in vivo biomarker data. Furthermore, we used the pharmacological chaperone (PC) 1-deoxygalactonojirimycin (DGJ) as a tool to analyse the influence of individual mutations on subcellular organelle-trafficking and stability. We analysed a significant number of mutations and correlated the obtained properties to the clinical manifestation related to the mutation in order to improve our knowledge of the identity of functional relevant amino acids. Additionally, we illustrate the consequences of different mutations on plasma lyso-globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3) accumulation in the patients' plasma, a biomarker proven to reflect the impaired substrate clearance caused by specific mutations. The established system enables us to provide information for the clinical relevance of PC therapy for a given mutant. Finally, in order to generate reliable predictions of mutant GLA defects we compared the different data sets to reveal the most coherent system to reflect the clinical situation.

Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD), a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the α-galactosidase-A (GLA) gene, disrupts lysosomal function, leading to vascular complications. The accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in arterial walls triggers upregulation of adhesion molecules, decreases endothelial nitric oxide synthesis, and induces reactive oxygen species production. This cascade results in fibrotic thickening, endothelial dysfunction, hypercontractility, vasospasm, and a pro-thrombotic phenotype. AFD patients display increased intima-media thickness (IMT) and reduced flow-mediated dilation (FMD), indicating heightened cardiovascular risk. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) shows promise in diagnosing and monitoring microcirculatory disorders in AFD, though it remains underexplored. Morphological evidence of AFD as a storage disorder can be demonstrated through electron microscopy and immunodetection of Gb3. Secondary pathophysiological disturbances at cellular, tissue, and organ levels contribute to the clinical manifestations, with prominent lysosomal inclusions observed in vascular, cardiac, renal, and neuronal cells. Chronic accumulation of Gb3 represents a state of ongoing toxicity, leading to increased cell turnover, particularly in vascular endothelial cells. AFD-related vascular pathology includes increased renin-angiotensin system activation, endothelial dysfunction, and smooth muscle cell proliferation, resulting in IMT increase. Furthermore, microvascular alterations, such as atypical capillaries observed through NFC, suggest early microvascular involvement. This review aims to unravel the complex interplay between inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction in AFD, highlighting the potential connections between metabolic disturbances, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in vascular and cardiac complications. By exploring novel cardiovascular risk factors and potential diagnostic tools, we can advance our understanding of these mechanisms, which extend beyond sphingolipid accumulation to include other significant contributors to disease pathogenesis. This comprehensive approach can pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies and improved patient outcomes.

Noninvasive and objective biomarkers for disease-associated pathology are critical for clinical trials. For Fabry disease, one important pathological change due to the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-GAL) caused is accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, which manifests as the overall DRG hypertrophy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been successfully used to noninvasively measure DRG enlargement in Fabry patients, and DRG volumetric MRI can be a potential noninvasive biomarker for Gb3 accumulations in DRG neurons in clinical trials. To evaluate disease progression and treatment response in preclinical proof-of-concept studies, we developed an in vivo MRI method to measure DRG size in the G3Stg/GLA knockout mouse model of Fabry disease. Compared to the wild type mice, the DRG enlargement in the Fabry mice was observed as early as 8 weeks of age, and a single administration of the human α-GAL-encoding adeno-associated virus (AAV GLA ) normalized the enlarged DRG to the age-matched wild type mice. The DRG normalization was observed within 4 weeks of gene therapy (12 weeks of age) and was sustained up to 24 weeks of age. Furthermore, behavioral testing and histological/immunohistochemistry analyses of the DRG tissues corroborated the MRI findings. Volumetric DRG MRI has the sensitivity to measure Gb3 pathology-induced DRG volume changes and treatment response in live mice and can be a translational imaging biomarker in clinical trials for Fabry disease.

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism caused by mutations in the GLA gene encoding alpha-galactosidase A (α-Gal). Loss of α-Gal activity leads to progressive lysosomal accumulation of α-Gal substrate, predominately globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and its deacylated derivative globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso‐Gb3). FD manifestations include early onset neuropathic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and later onset life-threatening renal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders. Current treatments can preserve kidney function but are not very effective in preventing progression of cardiovascular pathology which remains the most common cause of premature death in FD patients. There is a significant need for a translational model that could be used for testing cardiac efficacy of new drugs. Two mouse models of FD have been developed. The α-Gal A-knockout ( Gla KO) model is characterized by progressive tissue accumulation of Gb3 and lyso-Gb3 but does not develop any Fabry pathology besides mild peripheral neuropathy. Reports of minor cardiac function abnormalities in Gla KO model are inconsistent between different studies. Recently, G3Stg/ Gla KO was generated by crossbreeding Gla KO with transgenic mice expressing human Gb3 synthase. G3Stg/ Gla KO demonstrate higher tissue substrate accumulation and develop cellular and tissue pathologies. Functional renal pathology analogous to that found in early stages of FD has also been described in this model. The objective of this study is to characterize cardiac phenotype in Gla KO and G3Stg/ Gla KO mice using echocardiography. Longitudinal assessments of cardiac wall thickness, mass and function were performed in Gla KO and wild-type (WT) littermate controls from 5–13 months of age. G3Stg/ Gla KO and WT mice were assessed between 27–28 weeks of age due to their shortened lifespan. Several cardiomyopathy characteristics of early Fabry pathology were found in Gla KO mice, including mild cardiomegaly [up-to-25% increase in left ventricular (LV mass)] with no significant LV wall thickening. The LV internal diameter was significantly wider (up-to-24% increase at 9-months), when compared to the age-matched WT. In addition, there were significant increases in the end-systolic, end-diastolic volumes and stroke volume, suggesting volume overload. Significant reduction in Global longitudinal strain (GLS) measuring local myofiber contractility of the LV was also detected at 13-months. Similar GLS reduction was also reported in FD patients. Parameters such as ejection fraction, fractional shortening and cardiac output were either only slightly affected or were not different from controls. On the other hand, some of the cardiac findings in G3Stg/ Gla KO mice were inconsistent with Fabry cardiomyopathy seen in FD patients. This could be potentially an artifact of the Gb3 synthase overexpression under a strong ubiquitous promoter. In conclusion, Gla KO mouse model presents mild cardiomegaly, mild cardiac dysfunction, but significant cardiac volume overload and functional changes in GLS that can be used as translational biomarkers to determine cardiac efficacy of novel treatment modalities. The level of tissue Gb3 accumulation in G3Stg/ Gla KO mouse more closely recapitulates the level of substrate accumulation in FD patients and may provide better translatability of the efficacy of new therapeutics in clearing pathological substrates from cardiac tissues. But interpretation of the effect of treatment on cardiac structure and function in this model should be approached with caution.