Plasma glucosylceramide and ceramide in type 1 Gaucher disease patients: Correlations with disease severity and response to therapeutic intervention

The concentrations of plasma glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and ceramide (Cer) were determined in a cohort of type 1 Gaucher disease patients. In plasma of untreated patients, GlcCer concentrations were on average 3-fold increased (median Gaucher: 17.5 nmol/ml, range: 6.5–45.5 (n = 27); median control: 5.9 nmol/ml, range 4.0–8.6 (n = 15)). Although plasma Cer concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups (median Gaucher: 7.2 nmol/ml, range: 4.2–10.9 (n = 27); median control: 7.8 nmol/ml, range 5.7–11.9 (n = 15)) in individual patients plasma GlcCer/Cer ratio yields slightly better discrimination between Gaucher disease patients and normal individuals than the GlcCer levels. Positive correlations were detected between plasma GlcCer concentration and GlcCer/Cer ratio and severity of disease, plasma chitotriosidase and CCL18, surrogate markers of storage cells. Gaucher disease is treated by enzyme replacement and substrate reduction therapy. Both therapies were found to result in decreases in plasma GlcCer already within 6 months, without causing abnormal plasma GlcCer or Cer concentrations. The corrections in plasma GlcCer were most robust in patients with a pronounced clinical response. In conclusion, plasma GlcCer concentration and GlcCer/Cer ratio is of value to monitor Gaucher disease manifestation and response to therapeutic intervention.