Identification of HE1 as the second gene of Niemann-Pick C disease

Science. 2000 Dec 22;290(5500):2298-301. doi: 10.1126/science.290.5500.2298.

Abstract

Niemann-Pick type C2 disease (NP-C2) is a fatal hereditary disorder of unknown etiology characterized by defective egress of cholesterol from lysosomes. Here we show that the disease is caused by a deficiency in HE1, a ubiquitously expressed lysosomal protein identified previously as a cholesterol-binding protein. HE1 was undetectable in fibroblasts from NP-C2 patients but present in fibroblasts from unaffected controls and NP-C1 patients. Mutations in the HE1 gene, which maps to chromosome 14q24.3, were found in NP-C2 patients but not in controls. Treatment of NP-C2 fibroblasts with exogenous recombinant HE1 protein ameliorated lysosomal accumulation of low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • CHO Cells
  • Carrier Proteins*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cholesterol / metabolism*
  • Cricetinae
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Glycoproteins / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Niemann-Pick Diseases / genetics*
  • Niemann-Pick Diseases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Receptor, IGF Type 2 / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Transfection
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Glycoproteins
  • NPC2 protein, human
  • Receptor, IGF Type 2
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • Cholesterol