Abstract
Increased amounts of free sialic acid were found in cultured fibroblasts and urine of a 4-year-7-month-old Italian boy with mental retardation, hypotonia, failure to thrive, coarse facial features, convergent strabismus, pale skin and fair hair. Ultramicroscopic examination of conjunctival and skin tissues showed a number of membrane-bound vacuoles containing low-density granular material in the cytoplasm of the fibroblasts. The clinical, biochemical and ultrastructural findings are similar to those described in Salla disease. Neuraminidase activity is normal.
The molecular basis of the sialic acid storage disease is not known. Evidence for defective transport of sialic acid across the lysosomal membrane has been demonstrated in the patient's fibroblasts. It is possible that this might represent the metabolic abnormality.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aula P, Autio S, Raivio KO, Rapola J, Thoden C-J, Koskela S-L, Yamashina I (1979) “Salla disease”. A new lysosomal storage disorder. Arch Neurol 36:88–94
Baumkötter J, Cantz M, Mendla K, Baumann W, Friebolin H, Gehler J, Spranger J (1985) N-acetylneuraminic acid storage disease. Hum Genet 71:155–159
Fontaine G, Biserte G, Montreuil J, Dupont A, Farriaux J-P, Strecker G, Spik G, Puvion E, Puvion-Dutilleul F, Sezille G, Picqué MT (1968) La sialurie: un trouble métabolique original. Helv Paediatr Acta 23 [Suppl] XVII:1–32
Hancock LW, Thaler MM, Horwitz AL, Dawson G (1982) Generalized N-acetylneuraminic acid storage disease: quantitation and identification of the monosaccharide accumulating in brain and other tissues. J Neurochem 38:803–809
Hancock LW, Horwitz AL, Dawson G (1983) N-acetylneuraminic acid and sialoglycoconjugate metabolism in fibroblasts from a patient with generalized N-acetylneuraminic acid storage disease. Biochim Biophys Acta 760:42–52
Jonas AJ, Huls MH (1985) Lysosomal efflux of free sialic acid: implications for Salla disease. Pediatr Res 19, 4 (part 2):313A
Lowden JA, O'Brien JS (1979) Sialidosis: a review of human neuraminidase deficiency. Am J Hum Genet 31:1–18
Mancini GMS, Verheijen FW, Galjaard H (1986) Free N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) storage disorders: evidence for defective transport of NANA across the lysosomal membrane. Hum Genet (in press)
Michalski JC, Montreuil J, Strecker G (1983) A thin layer chromatographic technique for screening for sialuria. Clin Chim Acta 129:99–101
Palo J, Rauvala H, Finne J, Haltia M, Palmgren K (1985) Hyperexcretion of free N-acetylneuraminic acid. A novel type of sialuria. Clin Chim Acta 145:237–242
Renlund M, Chester MA, Lundblad A, Aula P, Raivio KO, Autio S, Koskela S-L (1979) Increased urinary excretion of free N-acetylneuraminic acid in thirteen patients with Salla disease. Eur J Biochem 101:245–250
Renlund M, Aula P, Raivio KO, Autio S, Sainio K, Rapola J, Koskela S-L (1983) Salla disease: a new lysosomal storage disorder with disturbed sialic acid metabolism. Neurology (NY) 33:57–66
Renlund M, Chester A, Lundblad A, Parkkinen J, Krusius T (1983) Free N-acetylneuraminic acid in tissues in Salla disease and the enzymes involved in its metabolism. Eur J Biochem 130:39–45
Renlund M (1984) Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of Salla disease in infancy and childhood. J Pediatr 104:232–236
Stevenson RE, Lubinsky M, Taylor HA, Wenger DA, Schroer RJ, Olmstead PM (1983) Sialic acid storage disease with sialuria: clinical and biochemical features in the severe infantile type. Pediatrics 72: 441–449
Thomas GH, Scocca J, Libert J, Vamos E, Miller CS, Reynolds LW (1983) Alterations in cultured fibroblasts of sibs with an infantile form of free (unbound) sialic acid storage disorder. Pediatr Res 17: 307–312
Thomas GH, Reynolds LW, Miller CS (1985) Overproduction of N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) by sialuria fibroblasts. Pediatr Res 19:451–455
Tietze F, Thomas G, Gahl W (1985) Decreased sialic acid clearance in granular fractions of fibroblasts from a patient with free sialic acid storage disease. Am J Hum Genet 37, 4 [Supplement July '85]:A19
Tondeur M, Libert J, Vamos E, Van Hoof F, Thomas GH, Strecker G (1982) Infantile form of sialic acid storage disorder: clinical, ultrastructural and biochemical studies in two siblings. Eur J Pediatr 139:142–147
Warren L (1959) The thiobarbituric assay of sialic acid. J Biol Chem 234:1971–1975
Wolburg-Buchholz K, Schlote W, Baumkötter J, Cantz M, Holder H, Harzer K (1985) Familial lysosomal storage disease with generalized vacuolization and sialic aciduria. Sporadic Salla disease. Neuropediatrics 16:67–75
Ylitalo V, Hagberg B, Rapola J, Månsson J-E, Svennerholm L, Sanner G, Tonnby B (1986) Salla disease variants. Sialoylaciduric encephalopathy with increased sialidase activity in two non-Finnish children. Neuropediatrics 17, 1:44–47
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fois, A., Balestri, P., Farnetani, M.A. et al. Free sialic acid storage disease. Eur J Pediatr 146, 195–198 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02343235
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02343235