Reduction of globotriaosylceramide in Fabry disease mice by substrate deprivation

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Abstract

We used a potent inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase to test whether substrate deprivation could lower globotriaosylceramide levels in α-galactosidase A (α-gal A) knockout mice, a model of Fabry disease. C57BL/6 mice treated twice daily for 3 days with D-threo-1-ethylendioxyphenyl-2-palmitoylamino-3-pyrrolidino-propanol (D-t-EtDO-P4) showed a concentration-dependent decrement in glucosylceramide levels in kidney, liver, and spleen. A single intraperitoneal injection of D-t-EtDO-P4 resulted in a 55% reduction in renal glucosylceramide, consistent with rapid renal glucosylceramide metabolism. A concentration-dependent decrement in renal and hepatic globotriaosylceramide levels was observed in α-Gal A– males treated for 4 weeks with D-t-EtDO-P4. When 8-week-old α-Gal A– males were treated for 8 weeks with 10 mg/kg twice daily, renal globotriaosylceramide fell to below starting levels, consistent with an α-galactosidase A–independent salvage pathway for globotriaosylceramide degradation. Complications observed with another glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor, N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, including weight loss and acellularity of lymphatic organs, were not observed with D-t-EtDO-P4. These data suggest that Fabry disease may be amenable to substrate deprivation therapy.

Authors

Akira Abe, Susan Gregory, Lihsueh Lee, Paul D. Killen, Roscoe O. Brady, Ashok Kulkarni, James A. Shayman