[Identification of Krabbe disease in 2 brothers from East Germany using a new fluorogenic substrate for...

Activity of several lysosomal hydrolases was studied in skin fibroblasts obtained from two brothers living in GDR. Both patients exhibited distinct clinical symptoms of severe neurovisceral disease. Analysis of the lysosomal enzymes activity enabled to exclude possible occurrence in the patients of such glycolipidoses as Gaucher's disease, Sandhoff's disease, GM1-gangliosidosis and metachromatic leukodystrophy. A new fluorogenic galactoside of lipid nature 6-hexadecanoylamine-4-hethylumbellipheryl-beta-D-galactoside used as a substrate of galactocerebrosidase enabled to detect in the patients distinct decrease in this enzymatic activity and to diagnose Krabb's disease. Biochemical diagnosis of Krabb's disease using the fluorogenic substrate was also confirmed by analysis with labelled galactocerebroside as a substrate.