Research led by Krystof Bankiewicz (photo), MD, PhD, who recently joined The Ohio State University College of Medicine, shows that gene replacement therapy for Niemann-Pick type A disease is safe for use in nonhuman primates and has therapeutic effects in mice. These research findings were published online on August 21, 2019, in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The article is titled “Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Serotype 9–Based Gene Therapy for Niemann-Pick Disease Type A.” Prior to joining Ohio State as a Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr. Bankiewicz conducted this translational gene therapy research at the University of California at San Francisco, in conjunction with researchers in New York, Massachusetts, and Spain. Niemann-Pick disease type A (NPD-A) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by neurodegeneration and early death. It is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene coding for the enzyme acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), which hydrolyzes sphingomyelin into ceramide. With this disease, the body's ability to metabolize fat within cells is affected, causing these cells to malfunction and, eventually, die. This inherited disease can affect the brain, nerves, liver, spleen, bone marrow, and lungs. The three main types of Niemann-Pick disease are types A, B and C. The signs and symptoms experienced depend on the type and severity of the condition. Some infants with type A will show signs and symptoms within the first few months of life. Those with type B may not show signs for years and have a better chance of surviving to adulthood. People with type C may not experience any symptoms until adulthood.Login Or Register To Read Full Story