Laboratory Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (2): 121-130.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8640.2025.02.004

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Clinical phenotype and molecular genetic characteristics of adult Krabbe disease in China

WANG Guoyu, ZHAI Jianzhao, ZHONG Huiyu, LIU Tangyuheng, JIAO Lin, HE Yong, YING Binwu, WANG Minjin()   

  1. Department of Clinical Laboratory,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610041,Sichuan,China
  • Received:2024-12-11 Revised:2024-12-29 Online:2025-02-28 Published:2025-03-07

Abstract:

Objective To review the literatures on the clinical phenotype and molecular genetic characteristics of adult Krabbe disease(KD) in China,so as to improve the ability of clinical diagnosis. Methods From January 2020 to November 2024,89 patients with suspected genetic leukoencephalopathy(GLES) in West China Hospital of Sichuan University were screened for whole-exome sequencing,5 patients with adult KD were enrolled,and their clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. By retrieving literatures,the clinical phenotype and molecular genetic characteristics of adult KD in China were summarized and analyzed. Results One of the 5 cases presented with mental disorder and mental decline. Mental disorder was the first clinical symptom. Two unreported mutations,c.1164_1165del and c.581G>T,were identified in the 5 cases,and c.1164_1165del may be likely pathogenic,while mental disorder was the first clinical symptom in patients with c.581G>T. A total of 15 literatures were searched for 27 adult KD patients. A total of 32 Chinese patients with adult KD were reviewed. The main clinical symptoms were walking difficulty and gait disturbance(80.0%),peripheral nerve damage(60.0%) and spastic paralysis(40.0%). The common findings of nervous system examination were decreased muscle strength,hypertonia,hyperreflexia and positive pathological signs of lower limbs. Electromyography showed abnormal conduction of motor and sensory nerves. Most of the imaging examinations showed T2 hyperintensity,which was common in the white matter and corticospinal tract area. Genetic analysis revealed 29 GALC mutations,the most common one was c.1901T>C,the second one was c.136G>T. Conclusions The c.1901T>C is the most common mutation of adult KD in Chinese. The clinical symptoms are often characterized by walking difficulty and gait disturbance and peripheral nerve damage. The clinical symptoms of KD patients with different mutation sites and genotypes are diverse. KD should be considered in patients with seizure,mental disorder,mental decline and unknown etiology who have neuroimaging changes of white matter lesions. Genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis.

Key words: Galactosylceramidase, Krabbe disease, Clinical phenotype, Molecular genetic characteristic

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