Background Lysosomal protein profiling is being developed as a high throughput method to screen populations for lysosomal storage disorders (LSD).

Design 1415 blood spots from patients referred to a metabolic clinic for LSD were screened using a single multiplex assay for 14 proteins in a dried blood spot.

Results All patients with Pompe disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy, and mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type I, IIIA, IIIB and VI were identified by reduced lysosomal protein. Five samples were identified as possible pseudo-arylsulfatase A deficiency; four were confirmed. One multiple sulfatase deficiency patient was identified with multiple reduced sulfatase proteins. There were 10 MPS II patients identified with reduced iduronate 2-sulfatase, and one MPS II patient with iduronate 2-sulfatase in the unaffected range. For Fabry disease, 10 male patients were identified with reduced α-galactosidase and 2/6 female Fabry heterozygotes returned α-galactosidase concentrations in the male Fabry range. All 10 mucolipidosis II/III patients were identified with multiple raised proteins. For 79 blood spots with chitotriosidase >3.4 mg/l, a follow-up one-plex chitotriosidase assay enabled identification of all nine Gaucher patients.

Conclusion This study demonstrates the sensitivity and specificity of this technology to accurately identify 99% of LSD patients, with the exception of one MPS II false negative.