Comparative in vitro Expression Study of Four Fabry Disease Causing Mutations at Glutamine 279 of the α-Galactosidase A Protein

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of α-galactosidase A that results in the accumulation of neutral sphingolipids. We report a novel point mutation in exon 6, Q279K, carried by an asymptomatic child with a family history of classic Fabry disease. Moreover, we comparatively study the in vitro expression and enzyme activity of Q279K and three other already described mutants in glutamine 279. The Q279K, Q279H and Q279R mutants transfected in COS-1 cells expressed no activity while the residual enzyme activity of the Q279E mutant represented 10% of wild type value. Western blot analysis demonstrated a differential behavior of the mutant proteins: Q279K and Q279H persisted as the inactive 50-kD precursor, indicating that these mutations may affect the normal processing of the enzyme, while the Q279R mutant was not detected probably due to an unstable protein which is rapidly degraded. The in vitro expression studies of the novel Q279K mutation were confirmed by Western blot analysis performed in the patient’s lymphocytes which revealed the α-galactosidase A precursor of 50 kD but not the processed form.