[Anderson-Fabry disease]

Abstract

Anderson-Fabry disease is a rare inherited X-linked lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. The deficiency of alpha-galactosidase activity leads to progressive, abnormal accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids in the lysosome. With increasing age globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) progressively accumulates in different cells, tissues and organs throughout the body. The overall prevalence of Anderson-Fabry disease is 1:117.00 or 1: 40.000 in (male) population. Typically, the clinical onset of Anderson-Fabry disease occurs during childhood or adolescence, with early symptoms of neuropathic pain (recurrent episodes of severe pain in the extremities), angiokeratomas (characteristic cutaneous lesions), oedematous upper eyelids, peripheral vasospasm and ophthalmological abnormalities. The disease progresses through adulthood and by the age of 30-40 years several major organ systems may be affected; cardiac disease, renal insufficiency, cerebrovascular attacks and neurologic findings are common. Death usually occur secondary to renal, cardiac or cerebrovascular complications during the fourth or fifth decade of life. Enzyme replacement therapy is a major advance in the treatment of rare diseases. In 2001 two formulations have been approved by the European Medical Evaluation Agency, agalsidase alpha and agalsidase beta. Agalsidase alpha is produced on the human fibroblast cell line, and agalsidase beta from the Chinese hamster ovary cell line.