The signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein, SAP, was first identified as the protein affected in most cases of X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by abnormal responses to Epstein-Barr virus infection, lymphoproliferative syndromes, and dysgammaglobulinemia.
Moreover, these data link defects in the SH2D1A gene to abnormal B-lymphocyte development and to dysgammaglobulinemia in female members of families with XLP disease.
Prior to EBV infection, most boys with the defective XLP gene appear to be clinically healthy EBV infection in males with the defective XLP gene leads to three main phenotypes: severe and mostly fatal infectious mononucleosis (58%), lymphoproliferative disorders mostly of B-cell origin (30%) and/or dysgammaglobulinemia (31%).