Tay-Sachs Disease: Hexosaminidase-A Case Study

There are many diseases in the world that can have severe negative impacts on a person and their family. Many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by genetic mutations. This essay will be discussing the similarities and differences between the diseases of Tay-Sachs, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Fragile X as well as their symptoms, treatments and intervention strategy’s.

Tay Sachs can only be inherited, which means it is passed from parents to child only. The process begins in the fetus, very early in pregnancy. However, the disease does not become physically apparent until the child is several months old. Tay Sachs is caused by the absence of a vital enzyme, called the Hex A gene, which is in chromosome 15. This gene plays an important role in the nervous system. It breaks down the fatty substance called

The cell is the basic unit of life in eukaryotic organisms. The inside of the cell is comprised of multiple subunits called organelle that all function together to maintain homeostasis and function. Each individual organelle is assigned a specific task and purpose for the cell. These tasks and purposes can range from structural support all the way to the disposal of malfunctioning organelle.1 Similarity to a machine, if one part stops functioning to full potential, serious if not fatal consequences can be faced. A shining example of the effects of a malfunctioning organelle occurs in Tay-Sachs disease. Tay- Sachs disease is a lysosomal disorder that is caused by a faulty lysosome.1 Recent studies and research have been investigating the causes and pathways Tay-Sachs disease with great success, which is amazing news for the scientific community.

There are no treatments or cures for Tay-Sachs disease; however, through palliative care,  treatment is used to keep the child comfortable. Palliative care often includes prescription medication to relieve symptoms, the use of feeding tubes, physical therapy, and respiratory care to avoid issues with the lungs and airways.

Since children lack the HEXA-A gene it causes progressive damage and eventually the nervous system will shut down because it can no longer produce vital neurons needed to function the nervous system and life. Beta-hexosamindinidase is located in the lysosomes, which are structures in cells that act as recycling centers and breaking down the toxic substance. Beta-hexosamidnidase role is toxic and fatty substances called GM2 ganglioside. If the gangliosides become overpowering or too much, can cause destruction of the neurons. The excessive storage of the gangliosides in lysosomes is another factor that causes Tay-Sachs. Tay-Sachs occurs usually when the individual lacks the protein hexosamindinidase A and defected and alterations on chromosome 15 (specifically 15q23-q24). More than 50 mutations having been discovered on chromosome 15 and HEXA-A enzyme. The mutation can vary as in deletion, insertion, and splitting in which each mutation alters the protein. The mutation and disorder cause a decrease in enzymes activity. The severity of the disorder depends on the degree of the enzyme activity and deficiency. For example, one mutation includes, the mutation includes a G-to-T substitution at the 3-inch end of intron 5, which makes a short mRNA. Then skipping exon 6 and the polypeptide lacking 34 amino acids. (Tanaka

It has come to my attention that you believe Tay-Sachs disease is less devastating than ALD. To make an assumption does not do you justice and I am here to inform you on each of these demyelinating diseases so you can understand why in fact Tay-Sachs disease is in fact more devastating than ALD

Well what causes Tay Sachs disease is that there’s something wrong with there fifteenth chromosome with this problem your body has trouble making the protein hexosaminidase A, since your body doesn’t make that anymore gangliosides build up and eventually will kill brain cells. In order for your child to get this disease the defective gene has to be passed down from each parent so that would mean that Tay Sachs disease is a heredity disease. If the defective gene just gets passed down from one parent it means that the child is a carrier of Tay sachs disease, in which this means that if this child marries someone who is also a carrier of Tay Sachs disease that means that there child will absolutely have this disease

Gene Therapy has been tested a Jacob sheep model, a rare sheep breed. It found the biochemical mechanism in the sheep was identical to humans and a mutation that resulted in an exon deletion via slipicing. Gene Therapy is still being researched by The Tay-Sachs Gene Therapy (TSGT) Consortium, so it is not officially being used. Since, 1980, 20 people have received Caravan gene therapy. This is a possible option for my child since, of most of the parents said their child benefited from the therapy but is a little risky since not many tests have been

Tay Sachs is a genetic disorder that occurs when there is a missing enzyme in the body. This causes a buildup of fatty substances in the nervous system (Gale). Beta-Hemosaminidase, or HexA, is the missing enzyme that causes the various nerve disorders that happen within Tay Sachs (NTSAD). This disease is inherited in a few different areas of the world, but it is most commonly

Tay-Sachs disease is an autosomal fatal genetic disorder, it is also a form of lipid metabolism disorder. Due to a buildup of fatty substances in

The genetic mutations that cause this disease are more commonly found in the Ashkenazi people with a Jewish heritage than those with other backgrounds. French-Canadian communities of Quebec, the Old Order amish community in Pennsylvania, and the Cajun population of Louisiana, are more responsible for the mutation for this disease. The HEXA has been discovered for the cause of Tay Sachs. The gene provides for making part of an enzyme, which is cause, "beta-hexosaminidase A", which plays an important role in the spinal cord and brain. Disruptions in the HEXA gene messes with the activity of beta-hexosaminidase A, and then prevents the enzyme from breaking down GM2 ganglioside. This results the the substance accumulating to toxic levels in the neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Continuous damage caused by the build up of GM2-ganglioside leads to the destruction of the neurons and thus causes the signs and symptoms of Tay-Sachs

This disease causes the deterioration of the nerve cells and physical state for the first 6 months. Some symptoms during the infantile stage are blindness, deafness, and the inability to swallow. Sometimes the infant could be born paralytic. At juvenile age, the child may experience cognitive and motor skill deterioration. Motor speech, muscle movement, and swallowing are all non-apparent in the juvenile. Genetically, Tay-Sachs disease is caused by the HEXA gene. This gene provides instructions for making enzyme, beta-hexosamindase A, which is essential in brain, nerve, and spinal cord development. Mutations in this gene cause the beta-hexosamindase A from breaking down GM2 ganglioside which results in the accumulation of gangliosides in the brains nerve cells, thus causing Tay-Sachs disease. Tay-Sachs develops when very harmful gangliosides collect in the brains verve cells which ultimately result in death of the cells. Tay Sachs can be identified as a cherry-red spot located on the nerve

Warren Tay, an English physician who first described the symptomatic cherry-red eye in 1881 (Edelson, 1997). Research later in the 20th century illustrated that Tay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the HEXA gene on chromosome 15. Many other HEXA mutations have been discovered since then, including different mutations within different populations. Being an autosomal recessive disorder, for an individual to exhibit symptoms it is required to have two Tay-Sachs alleles affected, meaning that when both parents are carriers, the offspring have a 25% of being affected. This disease has shown to be prevalent in certain populations in recent years. Those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are one of these populations, being more prone to the infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease, caused by a base pair insertion leading to the mutation. More research has led us to believe that compound heterozygosity is ultimately responsible for the disease’s variability among different populations. Those who are heterozygous carriers tend to exhibit abnormal enzyme activity but never show true disease symptoms. This is due to the dominance phenomenon, and with Tay-Sachs being recessive autosomal, it requires

targeted other groups, such as the disabled, gypsies, and slaves, they placed Jews in a special

The members will be a physician, a geneticist, an ethicist, a lawyer and a nurse. The physician, who is a pediatrician, makes the diagnosis of Tay Sachs. The geneticist, another specialist, provides more specific and applicable information on Tay-Sachs, such as causes and risks, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. These two specialists formulate a plan of care, which a nurse will implement. The ethicist informs them about accepted moral values and the proper human conduct, behavior and decisions in dealing with Tay-Sachs. The lawyer or legal practitioner informs the involved parties about the current laws and court decisions concerning or affecting the management of genetic disorders, such as Tay-Sachs. And the nurse carries out the detailed instructions of the geneticist and pediatrician as well as incorporates the guidelines inputted by the lawyer.