A Fabry's disease heterozygote with a new mutation: biochemical, ultrastructural, and clinical investigations

A Fabry heterozygote with early clinical manifestations of this X linked disorder is described. Her symptoms, including febrile attacks, arthralgia, abdominal pain, and neurological signs, were characteristic of Fabry's disease hemizygotes. The neurological findings were compatible with a brain stem infarction. The diagnosis was confirmed by the finding of low activities of alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-galA) in plasma, lymphocytes, and cultured fibroblasts, and by the observation of typical lamellar inclusions in the lysosomes of cultured fibroblasts. Increased levels of ceramide trihexoside were also found by TLC of urine sediment. The family history gave no indication of Fabry's disease in the patient's relatives, and biochemical and ultrastructural investigations of their cells were also normal. Our findings therefore suggest that the defective gene in the heterozygote has resulted from a new mutation.