Sex differences of urinary and kidney globotriaosylceramide and lyso-globotriaosylceramide in Fabry mice

Abstract

The aim of our study was to measure globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and lyso-Gb3 levels by tandem mass spectrometry in the urine and kidney in Fabry (gla knockout) mice and wild-type controls. We found that urine Gb3 of male and female Fabry mice was higher than wild-type mice of the same sex but also significantly higher in male mice compared with females of the same genotype. In kidney tissue, sex and genotype-dependent differences in Gb3 levels paralleled those in the urine. Isoforms C16, C22:1, and C24OHA were particularly higher in males compared with females in both wild-type and Fabry mice. Similarly, kidney lyso-Gb3 concentrations were significantly higher in 12-month-old male Fabry mice than in their homozygous female counterparts. However, lyso-Gb3 was undetectable in wild-type mice of both sexes. α-Galactosidase A activity and mRNA levels in kidney were significantly lower in male wild-type mice compared with female mice. This study shows the sex differences in kidney and urine Gb3 and kidney lyso-Gb3 levels in both wild-type and Fabry mice, and it suggests that these male-female differences should be taken into consideration when using murine models for Fabry disease.

Keywords

• glycosphingolipids
• testosterone
• urine
• mass spectrometry