pyrophosphate and Gaucher-Disease

We give an update on the etiology and potential treatment options of rare inherited monogenic disorders associated with arterial calcification and calcific cardiac valve disease.. Genetic studies of rare inherited syndromes have identified key regulators of ectopic calcification. Based on the pathogenic principles causing the diseases, these can be classified into three groups: (1) disorders of an increased extracellular inorganic phosphate/inorganic pyrophosphate ratio (generalized arterial calcification of infancy, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, arterial calcification and distal joint calcification, progeria, idiopathic basal ganglia calcification, and hyperphosphatemic familial tumoral calcinosis; (2) interferonopathies (Singleton-Merten syndrome); and (3) others, including Keutel syndrome and Gaucher disease type IIIC. Although some of the identified causative mechanisms are not easy to target for treatment, it has become clear that a disturbed serum phosphate/pyrophosphate ratio is a major force triggering arterial and cardiac valve calcification. Further studies will focus on targeting the phosphate/pyrophosphate ratio to effectively prevent and treat these calcific disease phenotypes.

Topics: Abnormalities, Multiple; Aortic Diseases; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Calcinosis; Cartilage Diseases; Dental Enamel Hypoplasia; Diphosphates; Enzyme Replacement Therapy; Gaucher Disease; Hand Deformities, Congenital; Humans; Hyperostosis, Cortical, Congenital; Hyperphosphatemia; Interferons; Metacarpus; Muscular Diseases; Odontodysplasia; Osteoporosis; Phosphates; Progeria; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis; Vascular Calcification