Identification of a biomarker in cerebrospinal fluid for neuronopathic forms of Gaucher disease

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 16;10(3):e0120194. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120194. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Gaucher disease, a recessive inherited metabolic disorder caused by defects in the gene encoding glucosylceramidase (GlcCerase), can be divided into three subtypes according to the appearance of symptoms associated with central nervous system involvement. We now identify a protein, glycoprotein non-metastatic B (GPNMB), that acts as an authentic marker of brain pathology in neurological forms of Gaucher disease. Using three independent techniques, including quantitative global proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in samples from Gaucher disease patients that display neurological symptoms, we demonstrate a correlation between the severity of symptoms and GPNMB levels. Moreover, GPNMB levels in the CSF correlate with disease severity in a mouse model of Gaucher disease. GPNMB was also elevated in brain samples from patients with type 2 and 3 Gaucher disease. Our data suggest that GPNMB can be used as a marker to quantify neuropathology in Gaucher disease patients and as a marker of treatment efficacy once suitable treatments towards the neurological symptoms of Gaucher disease become available.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Female
  • Gaucher Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Gaucher Disease / metabolism
  • Gaucher Disease / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Sequence Data

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • GPNMB protein, human
  • Membrane Glycoproteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Minerva Foundation.