Substrate reduction therapy in mouse models of the glycosphingolipidoses

Abstract

Substrate reduction therapy uses small molecules to slow the rate of glycolipid biosynthesis. One of these drugs, N–butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB–DNJ), shows efficacy in mouse models of Tay–Sachs, Sandhoff and Fabry diseases. This offers the prospect that NB–DNJ may be of therapeutic benefit, at least in the juvenile and adult onset variants of these disorders. The infantile onset variants will require an additional enzyme–augmenting modality if the pathology is to be significantly improved. A second drug, N–butyldeoxyglactonojirimycin, looks very promising for treating storage diseases with neurological involvement as high systemic dosing is achievable without any side–effects.