Glycolipid analysis of different tissues and cerebrospinal fluid in type II Gaucher disease

J Inherit Metab Dis. 2002 Feb;25(1):47-55. doi: 10.1023/a:1015137917508.

Abstract

The lipid composition or the liver, spleen, brain, cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid of a Gaucher disease type II patient who died at the age of 5 months was examined. The glycolipid analysis demonstrated a marked increase of total amounts not only in the peripheral tissues but also in the brain cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid, with a prevalence of glucosylceramide. A reduction in gangliosides was observed in all the analysed tissues with a relative increase of GD3 in the nervous tissue. The fatty acid composition of glucosylceramide showed a prevalence of stearic acid in the central nervous system, while in the peripheral tissues palmitic acid was prevalent. This result suggests a different origin of the glucosylceramide stored in different tissues. The generalized reduction of gangliosides and their modified distribution together with the central nervous system GD3 increment represent a new observation. These data could be useful in the effort to clarify the pathophysiological mechanism of brain damage in neuronopathic Gaucher disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Chemistry
  • Cerebellum / chemistry
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Female
  • G(M1) Ganglioside / analysis
  • G(M1) Ganglioside / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Gangliosides / analysis
  • Gangliosides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Gaucher Disease* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Gaucher Disease* / pathology
  • Gaucher Disease* / physiopathology
  • Glucosylceramides / analysis
  • Glucosylceramides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Glycolipids / analysis*
  • Glycolipids / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lactosylceramides / analysis
  • Lactosylceramides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / pathology
  • Spleen / chemistry
  • Spleen / pathology

Substances

  • Gangliosides
  • Glucosylceramides
  • Glycolipids
  • Lactosylceramides
  • G(M1) Ganglioside
  • asialo GM1 ganglioside
  • monosialosylpentahexosyl ceramide