Batten disease is a fatal disease of the nervous system that typically begins in childhood. Onset of symptoms is usually between 5 and 10 years of age. Often, it is autosomal recessive. It is the common name for a group of disorders called the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs).
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is the general name for a family of at least eight genetically separate neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases that result from excessive accumulation of lipopigments (lipofuscin) in the body's tissues. These lipopigments are made up of fats and proteins. Their name comes from the word stem "lipo-", which is a variation on lipid, and from the term "pigment", used because the substances take on a greenish-yellow color when viewed under an ultraviolet light microscope. These lipofuscin materials build up in neuronal cells and many organs, including the liver, spleen, myocardium, and kidneys.
Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (INCL) or Santavuori disease or Hagberg-Santavuori disease or Santavuori-Haltia disease or Infantile Finnish type neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis or Balkan disease is a form of NCL and inherited as a recessive autosomal genetic trait. The disorder is progressive, degenerative and fatal, extremely rare worldwide – with approximately 60 official cases reported by 1982, perhaps 100 with the condition in total today – but relatively common in Finland due to the local founder effect.
Palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase (EC 3.1.2.2) is an enzyme in the family of hydrolases that specifically acts on thioester bonds. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of long chain fatty acyl thioesters of acyl carrier protein or coenzyme A to form free fatty acid and the corresponding thiol:
Tripeptidyl-peptidase 1, also known as Lysosomal pepstatin-insensitive protease, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the TPP1 gene. TPP1 should not be confused with the TPP1 shelterin protein which protects telomeres and is encoded by the ACD gene. Mutations in the TPP1 gene leads to late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.
Ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal protein 6 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLN6 gene.
Ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal protein 5 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLN5 gene.
Protein CLN8 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLN8 gene.
Acyl-CoA thioesterase 2, also known as ACOT2, is an enzyme which in humans is encoded by the ACOT2 gene.
Acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase 4 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ACOT4 gene.
Acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase 11 also known as StAR-related lipid transfer protein 14 (STARD14) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ACOT11 gene. This gene encodes a protein with acyl-CoA thioesterase activity towards medium (C12) and long-chain (C18) fatty acyl-CoA substrates which relies on its StAR-related lipid transfer domain. Expression of a similar murine protein in brown adipose tissue is induced by cold exposure and repressed by warmth. Expression of the mouse protein has been associated with obesity, with higher expression found in obesity-resistant mice compared with obesity-prone mice. Alternative splicing results in two transcript variants encoding different isoforms.
Palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT-1), also known as palmitoyl-protein hydrolase 1, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PPT1 gene.
Jansky–Bielschowsky disease is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that is part of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) family of neurodegenerative disorders. It is caused by the accumulation of lipopigments in the body due to a deficiency in tripeptidyl peptidase I as a result of a mutation in the TPP1 gene. Symptoms appear between ages 2 and 4 and consist of typical neurodegenerative complications: loss of muscle function (ataxia), drug resistant seizures (epilepsy), apraxia, development of muscle twitches (myoclonus), and vision impairment. This late-infantile form of the disease progresses rapidly once symptoms are onset and ends in death between age 8 and teens. The prevalence of Jansky–Bielschowsky disease is unknown, however NCL collectively affects an estimated 1 in 100,000 individuals worldwide. Jansky–Bielschowsky disease is related to late-infantile Batten disease and LINCL, and is under the umbrella of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.
Major facilitator superfamily domain containing 8 also called MFSD8 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MFSD8 gene. MFSD8 is an atypical SLC, thus a predicted SLC transporter. It clusters phylogenetically to the Atypical MFS Transporter family 2 (AMTF2).
Lysosomal thioesterase PPT2 (PPT-2), also known as S-thioesterase G14, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PPT2 gene.
Acyl-CoA thioesterase 6 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACOT6 gene. The protein, also known as C14orf42, is an enzyme with thioesterase activity.
Kufs disease is one of many diseases categorized under a disorder known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCLs) or Batten disease. NCLs are broadly described to create problems with vision, movement and cognitive function. Among all NCLs diseases, Kufs is the only one that does not affect vision, and although this is a distinguishing factor of Kufs, NCLs are typically differentiated by the age at which they appear in a patient
Acyl-CoA thioesterase 13 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACOT13 gene. This gene encodes a member of the thioesterase superfamily. In humans, the protein co-localizes with microtubules and is essential for sustained cell proliferation.
Acyl-CoA thioesterase 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACOT1 gene.
Cerliponase alfa, marketed as Brineura, is an enzyme replacement treatment for Batten disease, a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease. Specifically, Cerliponase alfa is meant to slow loss of motor function in symptomatic children over three years old with late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2). The disease is also known as tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1) deficiency, a soluble lysosomal enzyme deficiency. Approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 27 April 2017, this is the first treatment for a neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis of its kind, acting to slow disease progression rather than palliatively treat symptoms by giving patients the TPP1 enzyme they are lacking.
