Biomaterial Database

Galactose toxicity in animals. 2009

Kent Lai, and Louis J Elsas, and Klaas J Wierenga

Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. kent.lai@hsc.utah.edu

In most organisms, productive utilization of galactose requires the highly conserved Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism. Yet, if this metabolic pathway is perturbed due to congenital deficiencies of the three associated enzymes, or an overwhelming presence of galactose, this monosaccharide which is abundantly present in milk and many non-dairy foodstuffs, will become highly toxic to humans and animals. Despite more than four decades of intense research, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of galactose toxicity in human patients and animal models. In this contemporary review, we take a unique approach to present an overview of galactose toxicity resulting from the three known congenital disorders of galactose metabolism and from experimental hypergalactosemia. Additionally, we update the reader about research progress on animal models, as well as advances in clinical management and therapies of these disorders.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007294	Inositol	An isomer of glucose that has traditionally been considered to be a B vitamin although it has an uncertain status as a vitamin and a deficiency syndrome has not been identified in man. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p1379) Inositol phospholipids are important in signal transduction.	Myoinositol,Chiro-Inositol,Mesoinositol,Chiro Inositol
D004376	Galactitol	A naturally occurring product of plants obtained following reduction of GALACTOSE. It appears as a white crystalline powder with a slight sweet taste. It may form in excess in the lens of the eye in GALACTOSEMIAS, a deficiency of GALACTOKINASE.	Dulcitol
D005686	Galactokinase	An enzyme that catalyzes reversibly the formation of galactose 1-phosphate and ADP from ATP and D-galactose. Galactosamine can also act as the acceptor. A deficiency of this enzyme results in GALACTOSEMIA. EC 2.7.1.6.
D005690	Galactose	An aldohexose that occurs naturally in the D-form in lactose, cerebrosides, gangliosides, and mucoproteins. Deficiency of galactosyl-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALACTOSE-1-PHOSPHATE URIDYL-TRANSFERASE DEFICIENCY DISEASE) causes an error in galactose metabolism called GALACTOSEMIA, resulting in elevations of galactose in the blood.	D-Galactose,Galactopyranose,Galactopyranoside,D Galactose
D005693	Galactosemias	A group of inherited enzyme deficiencies which feature elevations of GALACTOSE in the blood. This condition may be associated with deficiencies of GALACTOKINASE; UDPGLUCOSE-HEXOSE-1-PHOSPHATE URIDYLYLTRANSFERASE; or UDPGLUCOSE 4-EPIMERASE. The classic form is caused by UDPglucose-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase deficiency, and presents in infancy with FAILURE TO THRIVE; VOMITING; and INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION. Affected individuals also may develop MENTAL RETARDATION; JAUNDICE; hepatosplenomegaly; ovarian failure (PRIMARY OVARIAN INSUFFICIENCY); and cataracts. (From Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, pp61-3)	Galactokinase Deficiency Disease,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl-Transferase Deficiency Disease,UDPglucose 4-Epimerase Deficiency Disease,Classic Galactosemia,Deficiency Disease, Galactokinase,Deficiency Disease, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl-Transferase,Deficiency Disease, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, UDPglucose 4-Epimerase,Epimerase Deficiency Galactosemia,GALE Deficiency,GALK Deficiency,GALT Deficiency,Galactokinase Deficiency,Galactose Epimerase Deficiency,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,Galactosemia,Galactosemia 2,Galactosemia 3,Galactosemia III,Galactosemia, Classic,Hereditary Galactokinase Deficiency,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UDPGlucose Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency Disease,Classic Galactosemias,Deficiencies, GALE,Deficiencies, GALK,Deficiencies, GALT,Deficiencies, Galactokinase,Deficiencies, Galactose Epimerase,Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Deficiencies, Hereditary Galactokinase,Deficiencies, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyl Transferase,Deficiency Disease, UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, UDPglucose 4 Epimerase,Deficiency Diseases, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Galactosemia, Epimerase,Deficiency Galactosemias, Epimerase,Deficiency, GALE,Deficiency, GALK,Deficiency, GALT,Deficiency, Galactokinase,Deficiency, Galactose Epimerase,Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Deficiency, Hereditary Galactokinase,Deficiency, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Epimerase Deficiency Galactosemias,GALE Deficiencies,GALK Deficiencies,GALT Deficiencies,Galactokinase Deficiencies,Galactokinase Deficiencies, Hereditary,Galactokinase Deficiency Diseases,Galactokinase Deficiency, Hereditary,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyl Transferase Deficiency Disease,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose Epimerase Deficiencies,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiencies,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiencies,Galactosemia 2s,Galactosemia 3s,Galactosemia IIIs,Galactosemia, Epimerase Deficiency,Galactosemias, Classic,Galactosemias, Epimerase Deficiency,Hereditary Galactokinase Deficiencies,UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase Deficiency,UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiencies,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency Diseases,UDPGlucose Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UDPglucose 4 Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency Disease,Uridyltransferase Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridyltransferase Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate
D005694	UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of UDPgalactose from UTP and galactose-1-phosphate. It is present in low levels in fetal and infant liver, but increases with age, thereby enabling galactosemic infants who survive to develop the capacity to metabolize galactose. EC 2.7.7.10.	Galactosephosphate Uridylyltransferase,UDP Galactose Pyrophosphorylase,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Galactose Pyrophosphorylase, UDP,Pyrophosphorylase, UDP Galactose,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Uridyltransferase, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase, Galactosephosphate,Uridylyltransferase, UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate
D005695	Galactosephosphates	Phosphoric acid esters of galactose.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia