Identification of a new Arylsulfatase A (ARSA) gene mutation in Tunisian patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)

Abstract : Metachromatic leukodystrophy (WILD) is an autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of the enzyme arylsulfatase A (ARSA). The aim of the present study was to identify the molecular basis of MILD in Tunisian population. Two Tunisian patients with late infantile MILD were studied. Both patients were homozygous for a new missense mutation that causes a substitution of Trp in Gly p.W124G. This is the first mutation of ARSA gene described in Tunisian population. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.