Prospective study of neurological responses to treatment with macrophage-targeted glucocerebrosidase in patients with type 3 Gaucher's disease

Ann Neurol. 1997 Oct;42(4):613-21. doi: 10.1002/ana.410420412.

Abstract

We prospectively evaluated the clinical and biochemical responses to enzyme-replacement therapy (ERT) with macrophage-targeted glucocerebrosidase (Ceredase) infusions in 5 patients (age, 3.5-8.5 years) with type 3 Gaucher's disease. The patients were followed for up to 5 years. Enzyme dosage ranged from 120 to 480 U/kg of body weight/month. Systemic manifestations of the disease regressed in all patients. Neurological deficits remained stable in 3 patients and slightly improved in 1. One patient developed myoclonic encephalopathy. Cognitive deterioration occurred in 1 patient and electroencephalographic deterioration in 2. Sequential cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained during the first 3 years of treatment in 3 patients and were analyzed for biochemical markers of disease burden. Glucocerebroside and psychosine levels were not elevated in these specimens, whereas chitotriosidase and quinolinic acid were elevated in 2 patients. Progressive decrease in the CSF levels of these latter macrophage markers during 3 years of treatment implies a decreased number of Gaucher cells in the cerebral perivascular space. Similar changes were not observed in the patient who had a poor neurological outcome. In conclusion, ERT reverses systemic manifestations of type 3 Gaucher's disease and appears to reduce the burden of Gaucher cells in the brain-CSF compartment in some patients.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / blood
  • Biomarkers
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
  • Female
  • Gaucher Disease / diagnosis
  • Gaucher Disease / drug therapy*
  • Gaucher Disease / physiopathology
  • Glucosylceramidase / administration & dosage*
  • Glucosylceramidase / adverse effects
  • Glucosylceramidase / immunology
  • Hexosaminidases / blood
  • Hexosaminidases / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
  • Interleukin-1 / blood
  • Interleukin-1 / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Macrophages / enzymology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Male
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Nitrites / blood
  • Nitrites / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Prospective Studies
  • Psychosine / blood
  • Psychosine / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Quinolinic Acid / blood
  • Quinolinic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Sialoglycoproteins / blood
  • Sialoglycoproteins / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / blood
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / cerebrospinal fluid

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • IL1RN protein, human
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
  • Interleukin-1
  • Nitrites
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1
  • Sialoglycoproteins
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Psychosine
  • Hexosaminidases
  • chitotriosidase
  • Glucosylceramidase
  • Quinolinic Acid