Pathobiochemistry of lysosomal storage disorders: Study of Fabry disease and generation of cellular models of X-linked disorders.

Human autopsy or biopsy tissue samples, mouse models and cell cultures of various types represent the most common materials in the investigation of cell pathogenesis of inherited diseases. This dissertation is devoted to all these approaches in the study of two X-linked lysosomal storage diseases, Fabry disease (FD,α-galactosidase A (AGAL) deficiency) and mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPSII, idunorate-2- sulfatase (IDS) deficiency). The primary goal of the work was analysis of lipid blood group B antigens with terminal α-galactose (B-GSL) in the pancreas of FD patients with blood group B (FD-B).,In addition to the main glycosphingolipid (GSL) substrate, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer), B-GSLs represent another minor substrate of AGAL. The deposition of undegraded B-GSL has been demonstrated in FD-B pancreas where it was significantly higher than in other organs such as the kidneys and lungs which accumulate mainly Gb3Cer. High concentration of lipid and non-lipid B-antigens was primarily confirmed in exocrine acinar epithelial cells of FD-B, accompanied by massive accumulation of ceroid (secondary sign of lysosomal storage). Unlike acini, the endocrine portion of the pancreas remained unaffected by accumulation of AGAL substrates. This interesting phenomenon of cell biology shows how a specific..