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Biomedical subjects

Markus Grompe

Publications and source records attributed to Markus Grompe.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Therapeutic intervention in mice deficient for succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (gamma-hydroxybutyric aciduria).

Therapeutic intervention for human succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency (gamma-hydroxybutyric aciduria) has been limited to vigabatrin (VGB). Pharmacologically, VGB should be highly effective due to 4-aminobutyrate-transaminase (GABA-transaminase) inhibition, lowering succinic semialdehyde and, thereby, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) levels. Unfortunately, clinical efficacy has been limited. Because GHB possesses a number of potential receptor interactions, we addressed the hypothesis that antagonism of these interactions in mice with SSADH deficiency could lead to the development of novel treatment strategies for human patients. SSADH-deficient mice have significantly elevated tissue GHB levels, are neurologically impaired, and die within 4 weeks postnatally. In the current report, we compared oral versus intraperitoneal administration of VGB, CGP 35348 [3-aminopropyl(diethoxymethyl)phosphinic acid, a GABA(B) receptor antagonist], and the nonprotein amino acid taurine in rescue of SSADH-deficient mice from early death. In addition, we assessed the efficacy of the specific GHB receptor antagonist NCS-382 (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5-[H]benzocycloheptene-5-ol-6-ylideneacetic acid) using i.p. administration. All interventions led to significant lifespan extension (22-61%), with NCS-382 being most effective (50-61% survival). To explore the limited human clinical efficacy of VGB, we measured brain GHB and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in SSADH-deficient mice receiving VGB. Whereas high-dose VGB led to the expected elevation of brain GABA, we found no parallel decrease in GHB levels. Our data indicate that, at a minimum, GHB and GABA(B) receptors are involved in the pathophysiology of SSADH deficiency. We conclude that taurine and NCS-382 may have therapeutic relevance in human SSADH deficiency and that the poor clinical efficacy of VGB in this disease may relate to an inability to decrease brain GHB concentrations.

Aldehyde Oxidoreductases↗

Maleylacetoacetate isomerase (MAAI/GSTZ)-deficient mice reveal a glutathione-dependent nonenzymatic bypass in tyrosine catabolism.

In mammals, the catabolic pathway of phenylalanine and tyrosine is found in liver (hepatocytes) and kidney (proximal tubular cells). There are well-described human diseases associated with deficiencies of all enzymes in this pathway except for maleylacetoacetate isomerase (MAAI), which converts maleylacetoacetate (MAA) to fumarylacetoacetate (FAA). MAAI is also known as glutathione transferase zeta (GSTZ1). Here, we describe the phenotype of mice with a targeted deletion of the MAAI (GSTZ1) gene. MAAI-deficient mice accumulated FAA and succinylacetone in urine but appeared otherwise healthy. This observation suggested that either accumulating MAA is not toxic or an alternate pathway for MAA metabolism exists. A complete redundancy of MAAI could be ruled out because substrate overload of the tyrosine catabolic pathway (administration of homogentisic acid, phenylalanine, or tyrosine) resulted in renal and hepatic damage. However, evidence for a partial bypass of MAAI activity was also found. Mice doubly mutant for MAAI and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) died rapidly on a normal diet, indicating that MAA could be isomerized to FAA in the absence of MAAI. Double mutants showed predominant renal injury, indicating that this organ is the primary target for the accumulated compound(s) resulting from MAAI deficiency. A glutathione-mediated isomerization of MAA to FAA independent of MAAI enzyme was demonstrated in vitro. This nonenzymatic bypass is likely responsible for the lack of a phenotype in nonstressed MAAI mutant mice.

Acetoacetates↗

Principles of therapeutic liver repopulation.

Liver repopulation by transplanted hepatocytes is a promising approach for many inborn errors of metabolism. In this review, examples of liver repopulation in animals and the implications of these models for clinical cell transplantation will be discussed.

Cell Differentiation↗