Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0002986 (Fabry)
 5,646 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-D-galactoside galactohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.22) is a lysosomal hydrolase encoded by a gene localized to the chromosomal region Xq22. The deficient activity of this enzyme results in Fabry disease, an X chromosome-linked recessive disorder that leads to premature death in affected males. For studies of the structure and function of alpha-galactosidase A and for characterization of the genetic lesions in families with Fabry disease, the full-length cDNA was isolated, sequenced, and used to screen human genomic libraries. The 1393-base-pair full-length cDNA had a 60-nucleotide 5' untranslated region and encoded a precursor peptide of 429 amino acids including a signal peptide of 31 residues. Three overlapping lambda clones spanning 32 kilobases were identified that contained the entire approximately equal to 12-kilobase chromosomal gene as well as approximately equal to 9 and approximately equal to 11 kilobases of 5' and 3' flanking sequence, respectively. The gene had seven exons. The genomic exonic and full-length cDNA sequences were identical. All intron-exon splice junctions conformed to the GT/AT consensus sequence. The 5' flanking region of this lysosomal housekeeping gene contained Sp1 and CCAAT box promoter elements as well as sequences corresponding to the activator protein 1 (AP1), octanucleotide ("OCTA"), and "core" enhancer elements. There was an upstream "HTF" island (Hpa II tiny fragments) followed by four direct repeats of the "chorion box" enhancer. The unique lack of a 3' untranslated sequence in the alpha-galactosidase A cDNA was confirmed by sequencing additional cDNA clones and the genomic 3' region.
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PMID:Structural organization of the human alpha-galactosidase A gene: further evidence for the absence of a 3' untranslated region. 283 63

Metabolic storage disorders are caused by mutations in genes that result in insufficient activity of enzymes required for the catabolism of substances that arise from the turnover of senescent cells in the body. Among the most prevalent of these conditions are Gaucher disease and Fabry disease, which are caused by reduced activity of the housekeeping enzymes glucocerebrosidase and alpha-galactosidase A, respectively. Enzyme replacement therapy is extraordinarily effective for patients with Gaucher disease. It is under examination in patients with Fabry disease, and improvement of various clinical aspects in these patients has been documented. The blood-brain barrier prevents systemically administered enzymes from reaching the central nervous system. This limitation is a major impediment for the treatment of patients with enzyme deficiency disorders in whom the brain is involved. Alternatives to enzyme replacement therapy that have been initiated to treat systemic manifestations and brain involvement in patients with metabolic disorders include substrate reduction therapy, active site-specific chaperone therapy, and gene therapy. The present status and anticipated advances in the application of these therapeutic approaches are examined here.
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PMID:Emerging strategies for the treatment of hereditary metabolic storage disorders. 1670 51