Two Japanese cases with aspartylglycosaminuria: clinical and morphological features

Two members of a consanguineous Japanese family with a clinical picture of aspartylglycosaminuria (AGU) are described. Both patients exhibited mental retardation, coarse facial features, angiokeratoma and myoclonic seizures. Biochemical studies showed elevated excretion of urinary sialyloligosaccharides and decreased activity of aspartylglycosaminidase in lymphoblasts. Morphologic studies of skin biopsy specimens showed many clear vacuoles mainly in the vascular endothelial cells and secretory cells of the sweat glands. Osmiophilic lamellar cytoplasmic inclusions were also noted in the ganglion cells in rectal biopsy. The ethnic distribution of AGU may be more widespread than previously suspected and appears not to be restricted to Finnish populations. Ours are the first Japanese patients diagnosed as AGU. We conclude that AGU should also be included in the differential diagnosis of mentally retarded patients in Asian countries.