Skip to main content
Log in

Mucopolysaccharidosis VII: β-Glucuronidase deficiency

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Humangenetik Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

An 18-month-old female showed a markedly decreased activity of the lysosomal enzyme β-D-glucuronidase in cultured fibroblasts, leucocytes, and serum. In obligate heterozygotes, the serum and leucocyte β-D-glucuronidase activity was decreased to approximately 50% of the control values. Clinically, the patient had a mild facial dysmorphism reminiscent of Hurler disease, moderate mental retardation, and hepatosplenomegaly. The corneae were clear. Peripheral granulocytes contained abundant, coarse Alder-Reilly granulations. The urinary excretion of acid mucopolysaccharides was increased. The disorder has been classified as mucopolysaccharidosis, type VII. It is assumed that this new mucopolysaccharidosis is caused by the defective action of β-glucuronidase which results in the faulty degradation and intralysosomal storage of acid mucopolysaccharides.

Zusammenfassung

Bei einem 18 Monate alten Mädchen war die Aktivität des lysosomalen Enzyms β-D-Glucuronidase in gezüchteten Fibroblasten, Leukocyten und im Blutserum erheblich vermindert. Obligat heterozygote Anlageträger hatten in Serum und Leukocyten eine auf ca. 50% der Norm herabgesetzte Enzym-Aktivität. Klinisch fiel die Patientin durch Hurler-ähnliche Gesichtszüge auf, durch eine mäßige geistige Retardierung und Hepatosplenomegalie. Die Hornhäute waren spaltlampenmikroskopisch klar. Granulocyten des periphernen Blutbildes zeigten eine dichte Speicherung grober Alder-Reillyscher Einschlüsse. Im Urin wurden vermehrt saure Mucopolysaccharide ausgeschieden. Es handelte sich um eine Mucopolysaccharidose Typ VII. Das Krankheitsbild wird durch eine ungenügende Aktivität der β-D-Glucuronidase hervorgerufen. Saure Mucopolysaccharide können nicht abgebaut werden und häufen sich intralysosomal an.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bach, G., Eisenberg, F., Cantz, M., Neufeld, E. F.: The defect in the Hunter syndrome: Deficiency of sulfoiduronate sulfatase. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 70, 2134 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bach, G., Friedman, R., Weissmann, B., Neufeld, E. F.: The defect in the Hurler and Scheie syndromes: Deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 69, 2048 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Baum, H., Dodgson, K. S., Spencer, B.: The assay of arylsulfatase A and B in human urine. Clin. chim. Acta 4, 453 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaudet, A. L., DiFerrante, N., Nichols, B., Ferry, G. D.: β-glucuronidase deficiency: altered enzyme substrate recognition. Amer. J. hum. Genet. (Abstr.) 24, 259 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantz, M., Kresse, H., Barton, R. W., Neufeld, E. F.: Corrective factors for inborn errors of mucopolysaccharide metabolism. In: Colowick, S. P., Kaplan, N. O.: Methods in enzymology, Ginsburg, V., Ed., Vol. 28, Complex carbohydrates, Part B, pp. 884–897, New York-London: Academic Press 1972

    Google Scholar 

  • Den Tandt, W., Kamensky, E., Philippart, M.: Increased plasma hydrolases in inclusion cell disease. Clin. Res. 21, 314 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • DiFerrante, N., Rich, C.: The determination of acid aminopolysaccharide in urine. J. Lab. clin. Med. 48, 491 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dische, Z.: A new specific color reaction of hexuronic acids. J. biol. Chem. 167, 189 (1947)

    Google Scholar 

  • Figura, K. v., Kresse, H.: The Sanfilippo B corrective factor: a N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosaminidase. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 48, 262 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fratantoni, J. C., Hall, C. W., Neufeld, E. F.: The defect in Hurler's and Hunter's syndromes: faulty degradation of mucopolysaccharide. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 60, 669 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C. W., Cantz, M., Neufeld, E. F.: A β-glucuronidase deficiency mucopolysaccharidosis: studies in cultured fibroblasts. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 155, 32 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, H. G.: Hematologic studies in mucopolysaccharidoses and mucolipidoses. Birth Defects. Orig. Article Series, Vol. VIII, No. 3, Part XIV, p. 115, June 1972

  • Kampine, J. P., Brady, R. O., Kanfer, J. N.: Diagnosis of Gaucher's disease and Niemann-Pick's disease with small samples of venous blood. Science 115, 86 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kresse, H.: Mucopolysaccharidosis III A (Sanfilippo A disease): Deficiency of a heparin sulfamidase in skin fibroblasts and leucocytes. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 54, 1111 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, O., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., Randall, R. J.: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265 (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  • Matalon, R., Dorfman, A.: Hurler's syndrome, an alpha-L-iduronidase deficiency. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 47, 959 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathews, M. B., Inouye, M.: The determination of chondroitinsulfate C-type polysaccharides in mixtures with other mucopolysaccharides. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 53, 509 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKusick, V. A.: Heritable disorders of connective tissue. St. Louis: Mosby 1972

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Brien, J. S.: Sanfilippo syndrome: profound deficiency of alpha-acetylglucosaminidase activity in organs and skin fibroblasts from type-B patients. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 69, 1720 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, J. E., Dorling, J.: Differential staining of acid glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) by alcian blue in salt solutions. Histochemie 5, 221 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, J. E., Dorling, J., Quintarelli, G.: Differential staining of acid aminoglycans by alcian blue in salt solutions. Biochem. J. 91, p4 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sly, W. S., Quinton, B. A., McAlister, W. H., Rimoin, D. L.: β-glucuronidase deficiency: Report of clinical, radiologic, and biochemical features of a new mucopolysaccharidosis. J. Pediat. 82, 249 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spranger, J., Wiedemann, H. R.: Biochemical definition of the mucopolysaccharidoses. Z. Kinderheilk. 108, 17 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Walbaum, R., Dehaene, P., Scharfman, W., Farriaux, J. P., Tondeur, M., Vamos-Hurwitz, E., Kint, J. A., Van Hoof, F.: La mucolipidose de type II (I-cell disease). Arch. franç. Pédiat. 30, 577 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zugibe, F. T.: The demonstration of the individual acid mucopolysaccharides in human aortas, coronary arteries and cerebral arteries. I. The methods. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 10, 441 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zugibe, F. T.: Diagnostic histochemistry. St. Louis: Mosby 1970

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Supported by grants of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gehler, J., Cantz, M., Tolksdorf, M. et al. Mucopolysaccharidosis VII: β-Glucuronidase deficiency. Hum Genet 23, 149–158 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00282212

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00282212

Keywords

Navigation