No evidence of Fabry disease in a patient with the new p.Met70Val GLA gene variant

Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2024 Jun;12(6):e2390. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.2390.

Abstract

Background: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by variants in GLA gene leading to deficient α-galactosidase A enzyme activity. This deficiency leads to the accumulation of glycosphingolipids, particularly globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in various tissues and organs, which can result in life-threatening complications. The clinical presentation of the disease can vary from the "classic" phenotype with pediatric onset and multi-organ involvement to the "later-onset" phenotype, which presents with predominantly cardiac symptoms. In recent years, advances in screening studies have led to the identification of an increasing number of variants of unknown significance that have not yet been described, and whose pathogenic role remains undetermined.

Methods: In this clinical report, we describe the case of an asymptomatic adult female who was found to have a new variant of unknown significance, p.Met70Val. Given the unknown pathogenic role of this variant, a thorough analysis of the potential organ involvement was conducted. The clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: The analysis revealed that there were no signs of significant organ involvement, and the benignity of the variant was confirmed.

Conclusion: This case underscores the importance of a comprehensive evaluation of new variants of unknown significance to establish their pathogenicity accurately.

Keywords: Fabry disease; pathogenicity; variant; variant of unknown significant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Fabry Disease* / genetics
  • Fabry Disease* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • alpha-Galactosidase* / genetics
  • alpha-Galactosidase* / metabolism

Substances

  • alpha-Galactosidase
  • GLA protein, human