Complement Turning Violent in Ultra-Rare Genetic Disorder

Sandhoff disease (SD) is an ultra-rare lysosomal storage disorder (LSD), which affects ~ 1/1000, 000 live birth. SD is caused by genetic deficiency of beta (β) Hexosaminidase and resulting excess central nervous system (CNS) synthesis of GM2 ganglioside (GM2) and its impact on neuron death. The exact mechanisms underlying such GM2-driven neuron death are unknown in SD. Glucosylceramide (GC) induced complement 5a (C5a) and its C5aR1 activation causes tissue inflammation in experimental and clinical Gaucher disease. Additionally, C5a-C5aR1 axis was found to sparks CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration in several brain diseases including, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum, Alzheimer, and Huntington’s diseases. Here, we determined the increased brain levels of C5a and C5aR1 in a beta (β) hexosaminidase inhibitor (HABI)-induced experimental mouse model of SD, when compared to vehicle (PBS) injected WT control mice. Also, HABI-induced experimental mouse model of SD showed increased microglial cells activation, massive brain generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and loss of neurons, when compared to vehicle injected WT mice. To assess the relevance of C5a-C5aR1 axis activation for brain inflammation in SD, we targeted β hexosaminidase with HAB-I in WT and C5aR1 −/−mice. Strikingly, as compared to HABI-injected WT mice, HABI-injected C5aR1 −/−mice caused marked reduction in microglial cell activation, brain production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the loss of neurons. These data suggest that the C5a-C5aR1 axis is a critical driver of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in SD. No Funding