Exhaustive screening of the acid β-glucosidase gene, by fluorescence-assisted mismatch analysis using universal primers:: Mutation profile and genotype/phenotype correlations in Gaucher disease

Gaucher disease (GD) is one of the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorders and one of the rare genetic diseases now accessible to therapy. Outside the Ashkenazi Jewish community, a high molecular diversity is observed, leaving similar to 30% of alleles undetected. Nevertheless, very few exhaustive methods have been developed for extensive gene screening of a large series of patients. Our approach for a complete search of mutations was the association of fluorescent chemical cleavage of mismatches with a universal strand-specific labeling system. The glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene was scanned by use of a set of six amplicons, comprising 11 exons, all exon/intron boundaries, and the promoter region. By use of this screening strategy, the difficulties due to the existence of a highly homologous pseudogene were easily overcome, and both GD mutant alleles were identified in all 25 patients studied, thus attesting to a sensitivity that approaches 100%. A total of 18 different mutations and a new glucocerebrosidase haplotype were detected. The mutational spectrum included eight novel acid beta-glucosidase mutations: IVS2 G(+1)-->T, I119T, R170P, N188K, S237P, K303I, L324P, and A446P. These data further indicate the genetic heterogeneity of the lesions causing GD. Established genotype/phenotype correlations generally were confirmed, but notable disparities were disclosed in several cases, thus underlining the limitation in the prognostic value of genotyping. The observed influence of multifactorial control on this monogenic disease is discussed.