The pharmacological chaperone 1-deoxygalactonojirimycin reduces tissue globotriaosylceramide levels in a mouse model of Fabry disease

Mol Ther. 2010 Jan;18(1):23-33. doi: 10.1038/mt.2009.220. Epub 2009 Sep 22.

Abstract

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A) activity and subsequent accumulation of the substrate globotriaosylceramide (GL-3), which contributes to disease pathology. The pharmacological chaperone (PC) DGJ (1-deoxygalactonojirimycin) binds and stabilizes alpha-Gal A, increasing enzyme levels in cultured cells and in vivo. The ability of DGJ to reduce GL-3 in vivo was investigated using transgenic (Tg) mice that express a mutant form of human alpha-Gal A (R301Q) on a knockout background (Tg/KO), which leads to GL-3 accumulation in disease-relevant tissues. Four-week daily oral administration of DGJ to Tg/KO mice resulted in significant and dose-dependent increases in alpha-Gal A activity, with concomitant GL-3 reduction in skin, heart, kidney, brain, and plasma; 24-week administration resulted in even greater reductions. Compared to daily administration, less frequent DGJ administration, including repeated cycles of 4 days with DGJ followed by 3 days without or every other day with DGJ, resulted in even greater GL-3 reductions that were comparable to those obtained with Fabrazyme. Collectively, these data indicate that oral administration of DGJ increases mutant alpha-Gal A activity and reduces GL-3 in disease-relevant tissues in Tg/KO mice, and thus merits further evaluation as a treatment for Fabry disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-Deoxynojirimycin / analogs & derivatives*
  • 1-Deoxynojirimycin / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fabry Disease / drug therapy*
  • Fabry Disease / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Trihexosylceramides / metabolism*
  • alpha-Galactosidase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • alpha-Galactosidase / genetics
  • alpha-Galactosidase / metabolism

Substances

  • Trihexosylceramides
  • 1-Deoxynojirimycin
  • globotriaosylceramide
  • migalastat
  • alpha-Galactosidase