• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.58-62
• /
• 2006

Gaucher disease is an inherited disorder due to a deficiency in the activity of glucocerebrosidase (EC. 3.2.1.45) by genetic mutation which resulted from missense, nonsense, frameshift, deletion in long arm 21 of chromosome 1 (1q21). Gaucher disease is classified into the main three types as type 1 (nonneuronopathic), type 2 (acute neuronopathic) and type 3 (subacute neuronopathic) according to the progressive phase of manifestations and nervous system involvement. Gaucher disease patients had been treated by using the method as splenectomy and bone marrow transplantation. But enzyme replacement therapy as a more effective treatment has been available since the early 1990's. In order to treat Gaucher disease efficiently by using ERT, it is necessary to chase the progress of the therapy. In this study, therefore, we tried to chase the progress of the ERT by using the measurement of chitotriosidase activity in Gaucher disease patients.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2021

Gaucher disease (GD, OMIM #230800 OMIM#230800) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disorder caused by mutation in GBA1 encoding the lysosomal enzyme, glucocerebrosidase. The deficiency of glucocerebrosidase leads to an accumulation of its substrate, glucosylceramide in macrophages of various tissues. Common clinical manifestations include cytopenia, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and bone lesions. The phenotype of GD is classified into three clinical categories: Type 1 (non-neuronopathic) is characterized by involvements on the viscera, whereas types 2 and 3 (neuronopathic) are associated with not only visceral symptoms but also neurological impairment, either severe in type 2 or variable in type 3. A diagnosis of GD can be confirmed by demonstrating the deficiency of acid glucocerebrosidase activity in leukocytes. Mutations in the GBA1 should be identified as they may be of prognostic value in some cases. Biomarkers including Chitotriosidase, CCL18, and glucosylsphingosine (lyso-GL1) are useful in diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Currently available disease-specific treatment in Korea consists of intravenous enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy. For enhancing long-term prognosis, the onset of Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, or the occurrence of a blood disease or cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) should be monitored in older patients. The development of new strategies that can modify the neurological phenotype are expected, especially in Asia including Korea, where the prevalence of neuronopathic GD is relatively higher than that in western countries.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.244-253
• /
• 2022

Trichoderma fungi have been intensively studied for mycoparasitism, and the latter is closely related to their cell-wall degrading enzymes including chitinase. Here, we studied marine-derived Trichoderma spp., isolated from distinct sources and locations, for chitinolytic and antifungal activity. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, two strains designated GJ-Sp1 and TOP-Co8 (isolated from a marine sponge and a marine alga, respectively) were identified as Trichoderma bissettii. This species has recently been identified as a closely related species to Trichoderma longibrachiatum. The extracellular crude enzymes of GJ-Sp1 and TOP-Co8 showed activities of chitobiosidase and b-N-acetylglucosaminidase (exochitinase) and chitotriosidase (endochitinase). The optimum chitinolytic activity of the crude enzymes was observed at 50 ℃, pH 5.0, 0-0.5% NaCl concentrations, and the activities were stable at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40 ℃ for 2 h. Moreover, the crude enzymes showed inhibitory activity against hyphal growth of two filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the chitinolytic and antifungal activity of T. bissettii.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.48-53
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Gaucher disease is caused by a ${\beta}$-glucocerebrosidase (GBA) deficiency. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics according to subtypes of Gaucher disease in the Korean population. Methods: Clinical findings at diagnosis, $GBA$ mutations, and clinical courses were reviewed in 20 patients diagnosed with Gaucher disease. Results: Eleven patients were diagnosed with non-neuronopathic type, 2 with acute neuronopathic type, and 7 with chronic neuronopathic type. Most patients presented with hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and short stature. In the neuronopathic group, variable neurological features, such as seizure, tremor, gaze palsy, and hypotonia, were noted at age $8.7{\pm}4.3$ years. B cell lymphoma, protein-losing enteropathy, and hydrops fetalis were the atypical manifestations. Biomarkers, including chitotriosidase, acid phosphatase, and angiotensin-converting enzyme, increased at the initial evaluation and subsequently decreased with enzyme replacement treatment (ERT). The clinical findings, including hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and skeletal findings, improved following ERT, except for the neurological manifestations. L444P was the most common mutation in our cohort. One novel mutation, R277C, was found. Conclusion: Although the clinical outcome for Gaucher disease improved remarkably following ERT, the outcome differed according to subtype. Considering the high proportion of the neuronopathic form in the Korean population, new therapeutic strategies targeting the central nervous system are needed, with the development of a new scoring system and biomarkers representing clinical courses in a more comprehensive manner.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.72-77
• /
• 2016

Purpose: Gaucher disease (GD) is the most common lysosomal storage disease caused by beta-glucocerebrosidase (GBA) deficiency. Oral substrate reduction therapy with miglustat ($Zavesca^{(R)}$) was approved for the treatment of adults with GD type 1, for whom enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is unsuitable or not a therapeutic option. In this study, we report the effect of miglustat ($Zavesca^{(R)}$) in three Korean GD patients. Materials and Methods: Clinical findings comprising age at diagnosis, presenting signs, laboratory findings at diagnosis, GBA activity and mutations, and clinical courses of the three patients were reviewed. Results: Miglustat was administered to three patients who reported allergic reactions during intravenous imiglucerase infusions. One patient withdrew after 15 months of miglustat administration owing to continuous elevation of disease biomarker levels (chitotriosidase, acid phosphatase, and angiotensin-converting enzyme). Poor adherence to medication was suspected but was denied by the patient. In the other two patients, platelet count and levels of hemoglobin and other biomarkers remained stable during miglustat administration. However, they suffered from severe diarrhea and weight loss, which led to miglustat discontinuation after 1 and 12 months of administration. Conclusion: Our study shows that although miglustat is suggested to GD patients as an alternative treatment to ERT, significant adverse reactions may lead to discontinuation of miglustat. In addition, it is difficult to monitor the drug adherence.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 2017

Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by beta-glucosidase deficiency. An 18 month-old male with hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and growth retardation referred to our hospital. The patient showed neurological symptoms, such as supranuclear gaze palsy and developmental delay. Bone marrow biopsy performed to rule out malignancy and the results revealed no malignant cell; however, abnormal histiocytes suggesting storage disease was noted. Based on hepatosplenomegaly, bicytopenia and unexplained neurologic manifestations, enzyme activity and genetic analysis were conducted emergently with a strong suspicion of GD. Beta-glucosidase activity in leukocyte was decreased. GBA sequencing to confirm the diagnosis revealed compound heterozygous pathogenic variants (i.e., c.754T>A, c.887G>A), both previously reported as the cause of neuronopathic GD. Under the diagnosis of type 3 GD, the patient immediately received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). After 17 months of ERT, the size of spleen decreased, and hemoglobin and platelet count returned to normal. In addition, the activity of chitotriosidase and angiotensin converting enzyme decreased. However, myoclonic movement and generalized seizure occurred at the age of 19 months and antiepileptic drug was started. Other neurological deterioration including supranuclear gaze palsy and developmental delay also persisted. A new therapy to overcome neurologic problems should be developed for patients with type 3 GD.