Adult mucolipidosis with β-galactosidase and neuraminidase deficiencies

Abstract An adult case of mucolipidosis with β-galactosidase and neuraminidase deficiencies is reported. The patient was a 35-year-old Japanese female with coarse face, lumbar vertebral beaking, action myoclonus, cerebellar ataxia, clouding of the cornea, macular cherry-red spots, hearing loss and vacuolated lymphocytes, but without mucopolysacchariduria. Her clinical symptoms developed at a late age with a slow progression. The enzyme activities of β-galactosidase were deficient in leukocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts but normal in serum. Sialic acid-rich glycopeptides and oligosaccharides were increased in the urine. Neuraminidase activities toward fetuin, α-N-acetylneuraminosyl-(2→3) lactose and α-N-acetylneuraminosyl-(2→6) lactose were deficient in cultured fibroblasts. It is suggested that the main disturbance in the present case might be the catabolic process of glycoproteins and oligosaccharides due to neuraminidase deficiency.