Apoptotic neutrophils in the circulation of patients with glycogen storage disease type 1b (GSD1b)

Blood. 2003 Jun 15;101(12):5021-4. doi: 10.1182/blood-2002-10-3128. Epub 2003 Feb 6.

Abstract

Glycogen storage disease type 1b (GSD1b) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, and growth retardation, and associated-for unknown reasons- with neutropenia and neutrophil dysfunction. In 5 GSD1b patients in whom nicotin-amide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase activity and chemotaxis were defective, we found that the majority of circulating granulocytes bound Annexin-V. The neutrophils showed signs of apoptosis with increased caspase activity, condensed nuclei, and perinuclear clustering of mitochondria to which the proapoptotic Bcl-2 member Bax had translocated already. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) addition to in vitro cultures did not rescue the GSD1b neutrophils from apoptosis as occurs with G-CSF-treated control neutrophils. Moreover, the 2 GSD1b patients on G-CSF treatment did not show significantly lower levels of apoptotic neutrophils in the bloodstream. Current understanding of neutrophil apoptosis and the accompanying functional demise suggests that GSD1b granulocytes are dysfunctional because they are apoptotic.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Annexin A5 / metabolism
  • Apoptosis*
  • Caspases / blood
  • Cell Nucleus / pathology
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Glycogen Storage Disease Type I / blood*
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Neutropenia
  • Neutrophils / pathology*
  • Neutrophils / physiology
  • Phagocytosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / blood
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2*
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Substances

  • Annexin A5
  • BAX protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Caspases