Human α-galactosidase a mutants: Priceless tools to develop novel therapies for fabry disease

MODREGO, ANDREA; AMARANTO, MARILLA; GODINO, AGUSTINA; MENDOZA, ROSA; BARRA, JOSÉ LUIS; CORCHERO, JOSÉ LUIS

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

MDPI AG

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021 vol. 22

1661-6596

abry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the gene for the α-galactosidase A (GLA) enzyme. The absence of the enzyme or its activity results in the accumulation of glycosphingolipids, mainly globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in different tissues, leading to a wide range of clinical manifestations. More than 1000 natural variants have been described in the GLA gene, most of them affecting proper protein folding and enzymatic activity. Currently, FD is treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT). How-ever, as both approaches show specific drawbacks, new strategies (such as new forms of ERT, or-gan/cell transplant, substrate reduction therapy, or gene therapy) are under extensive study. In this review, we summarize GLA mutants described so far and discuss their putative application for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of FD. Unfavorable mutants with lower activities and stabilities than wild-type enz