AMACR
Encyclopedia
Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase, also known as AMACR, is a protein
which in humans is encoded by the AMACR gene
.
biomarker.
AMACR deficiency has recently been discovered. The first documented case was in 2006. It is in a class of disorders called peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD) although it is quite different than other peroxisomal disorders and does not share classic Refsum disorder
symptoms. It causes an accumulation of pristanic acid
, DHCA and EHCA and to a lesser extent VLCFA
and phytanic acid
. "His condition would have been missed if they hadn't measured the pristanic acid concentration."
It can cause mental impairment,confusion, learning difficulties and liver damage. It can be treated by dietary elimination of pristanic and phytanic acid from meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, and dairy products, however compliance to the diet is low due to dietary habits, and loss of weight.
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
which in humans is encoded by the AMACR gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
.
Clinical significance
Several studies have suggested that AMACR can be used as a prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
biomarker.
AMACR deficiency has recently been discovered. The first documented case was in 2006. It is in a class of disorders called peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD) although it is quite different than other peroxisomal disorders and does not share classic Refsum disorder
Refsum's disease
Refsum disease, also known as classic or adult Refsum disease, heredopathia atactica polyneuritiformis, phytanic acid oxidase deficiency and phytanic acid storage disease, is an autosomal recessive neurological disease that results from the over-accumulation of phytanic acid in cells and tissues...
symptoms. It causes an accumulation of pristanic acid
Pristanic acid
Pristanic acid is a terpenoid acid present at micromolar concentrations in the blood plasma of healthy individuals. It is also found in the lipids from many sources such as freshwater sponges, krill, earthworms, whales, human milk fat, bovine depot fat, butterfat or Californian petroleum. It is...
, DHCA and EHCA and to a lesser extent VLCFA
Very long chain fatty acid
A very long chain fatty acid is a fatty acid with aliphatic tails longer than 22 carbons.Unlike most fatty acids, VLCFAs are too long to be metabolized in the mitochondria, and must be metabolized in peroxisomes....
and phytanic acid
Phytanic acid
Phytanic acid is a branched chain fatty acid that humans can obtain through the consumption of dairy products, ruminant animal fats, and certain fish. Western diets are estimated to provide 50-100 mg of phytanic acid per day...
. "His condition would have been missed if they hadn't measured the pristanic acid concentration."
It can cause mental impairment,confusion, learning difficulties and liver damage. It can be treated by dietary elimination of pristanic and phytanic acid from meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, and dairy products, however compliance to the diet is low due to dietary habits, and loss of weight.