Gaucher disease, a lysosomal glycolipid storage disorder, results from the genetic deficiency of an acidic glucosidase, glucocerebrosidase (GC). The beneficial effects of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for Gaucher disease suggest that GC gene transduction and the transplantation of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (gene therapy) may similarly alleviate symptoms. We have constru...

PURPOSE Gaucher disease is caused by a β-glucocerebrosidase (GBA) deficiency. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics according to subtypes of Gaucher disease in the Korean population. METHODS Clinical findings at diagnosis, GBA mutations, and clinical courses were reviewed in 20 patients diagnosed with Gaucher disease. RESULTS Eleven patients were d...

Gaucher disease type 1 is caused by the defective activity of the lysosomal enzyme, acid beta-glucosidase (GCase). Regular infusions of purified recombinant GCase are the standard of care for reversing hematologic, hepatic, splenic, and bony manifestations. Here, similar in vitro enzymatic properties, and in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) and therapeutic efficacy of GCase we...

BACKGROUND Some, but not all, reports suggest that patients with Gaucher disease are at increased risk of developing malignancies, particularly hematopoietic tumors. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of Gaucher disease and subsequent malignancies among male veterans admitted to US Veterans Affairs hospitals. METHODS Among 832 294 African American and 3 668 983 white male veteran...

In this special issue the relationship of Gaucher disease to malignancy is explored in depth. For many years, multiple reports have attempted to substantiate this relationship, but until recently, the reported studies have not been convincing. Rosenbloom and Weinreb present an up-to-date review on Gaucher disease so the reader will understand the clinical, pathophysiological, and molecular aspe...

Cytokines; Gaucher disease; Pathogenesis; Bone disease; Pulmonary disease Abstract Gaucher disease (GD) is themost frequently encountered lysosomal storage disease caused by inborndefects of themembrane-bound lysosomal enzyme, acidb-glucosidase or glucocerebrosidase. This defective activity causes an accumulation of glucocerebroside (glucosylceramide) in the lysosomes of cells derived from the ...

Several recent observations suggest a connection between Gaucher disease, the inherited deficiency of glucocerebrosidase, and the synucleinopathies. Rare patients have been observed who develop both Gaucher disease and parkinsonism. Autopsy studies on these subjects reveal synuclein-positive Lewy bodies and inclusions. An increased incidence of synucleinopathies also has been noted in relatives...

Gaucher disease is an inherited disorder caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal hydrolase glucocerebrosidase. There is a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, with the most common features being hepatosplenomegaly, skeletal disease, and cytopenia. Gaucher disease has been classified into three broad phenotypes based upon the presence or absence of neurological involvement: Type 1 (nonneuron...

A cloned fragment of human glucocerebrosidase cDNA has been used as a probe to study restriction polymorphisms in the region of the gene for Gaucher disease. Variability in the size of fragments produced by digestion with the restriction endonucleases Pvu II and Kpn I was discovered. The Pvu II polymorphism was found to be a very prevalent one with a gene frequency of 0.65 for the Pv1.1- allele...