Molecular genetics of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders characterised by the accumulation of autofluorescent storage material in neurons and other cell types. The clinical features include visual impairment, progressive myoclonic epilepsy, and cognitive decline reflecting progressive neurodegeneration. The NCLs are subdivided into several subtypes according to age of onset, clinical course, and ultrastructure of the storage material. The molecular genetic basis of this group of disorders has recently been clarified. Mutations in the gene encoding a lysosomal enzyme, palmitoyl protein thioesterase (PPT), cause infantile NCL (locus CLN1 on chromosome 1p32) or Haltia-Santavuori disease. This Finnish disease is characterised ultrastructurally by granular osmiophilic deposits (GRODs). Juvenile-onset NCL with GRODs also is caused by mutations in PPT. Classic late-infantile NCL (Jansky-Bielschowsky disease) is caused by mutations in a gene encoding a pepstatin-insensitive lysosomal peptidase (CLN2 on chromosome 11p15), and juvenile-onset NCL (Batten disease) is caused by mutations in a gene encoding a 438-amino-acid membrane protein (CLN3 on chromosome 16p12) of unknown function. A locus for Finnish variant late-infantile NCL, CLN5, has been mapped to chromosome 13q22 and a locus for variant late-infantile NCL, CLN6, to chromosome 15q21-23. These and further advances will allow the molecular basis of the NCLs to be elucidated and may lead to new strategies for diagnosis and treatment.