Biochemical, histological and functional correction of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB by intra-cerebrospinal fluid gene therapy.

Gene therapy is an attractive tool for the treatment of monogenic disorders, in particular for lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) caused by deficiencies in secretable lysosomal enzymes in which neither full restoration of normal enzymatic activity nor transduction of all affected cells are necessary. However, some LSD such as Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIB (MPSIIIB) are challenging because the disease's main target organ is the brain and enzymes do not efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier even if present at very high concentration in circulation. To overcome these limitations, we delivered AAV9 vectors encoding for α-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU) to the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of MPSIIIB mice with the disease already detectable at biochemical, histological and functional level. Restoration of enzymatic activity in Central Nervous System (CNS) resulted in normalization of glycosaminoglycan content and lysosomal physiology, resolved neuroinflammation and restored the pattern of gene expression in brain similar to that of healthy animals. Additionally, transduction of the liver due to passage of vectors to the circulation led to whole-body disease correction. Treated animals also showed reversal of behavioural deficits and extended lifespan. Importantly, when the levels of enzymatic activity were monitored in the CSF of dogs following administration of canine NAGLU-coding vectors to animals that were either naïve or had pre-existing immunity against AAV9, similar levels of activity were achieved, suggesting that CNS efficacy would not be compromised in patients seropositive for AAV9. Our studies provide a strong rationale for the clinical development of this novel therapeutic approach as the treatment for MPSIIIB.

A prospective one-year natural history study of mucopolysaccharidosis types IIIA and IIIB: Implications for clinical trial design.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type III is a group of four autosomal recessive enzyme deficiencies leading to tissue accumulation of heparan sulfate. Central nervous system disease is prominent, with initial normal development followed by neurocognitive decline leading to death. In order to define outcome measures suitable for gene transfer trials, we prospectively assessed disease progression in MPS IIIA and IIIB subjects >2years old at three time points over one year (baseline, 6 and 12months). Fifteen IIIA (9 male, 6 female; age 5.0±1.9years) and ten IIIB subjects (8 male, 2 female; age 8.6±3years) were enrolled, and twenty subjects completed assessments at all time points. Cognitive function as assessed by Mullen Scales maximized at the 2.5 to 3year old developmental level, and showed a significant age-related decline over a 6month interval in three of five subdomains. Leiter nonverbal IQ (NVIQ) standard scores declined toward the test floor in the cohort by 6 to 8years of age, but showed significant mean declines over a 6month interval in those <7years old (p=0.0029) and in those with NVIQ score≥45 (p=0.0313). Parental report of adaptive behavior as assessed by the Vineland-II composite score inversely correlated with age and showed a significant mean decline over 6month intervals (p=0.0004). Abdominal MRI demonstrated increased volumes in liver (mean 2.2 times normal) and spleen (mean 1.9 times normal) without significant change over one year; brain MRI showed ventriculomegaly and loss of cortical volume in all subjects. Biochemical measures included urine glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels, which although elevated showed a decline correlating with age (p<0.0001) and approached normal values in older subjects. CSF protein levels were elevated in 32% at enrollment, and elevations of AST and ALT were frequent. CSF enzyme activity levels for either SGSH (in MPS IIIA subjects) or NAGLU (in MPS IIIB) significantly differed from normal controls. Several other behavioral or functional measures were found to be uninformative in this population, including timed functional motor tests. Our results suggest that cognitive development as assessed by the Mullen and Leiter-R and adaptive behavior assessment by the Vineland parent interview are suitable functional outcomes for interventional trials in MPS IIIA or IIIB, and that CSF enzyme assay may be a useful biomarker to assess central nervous system transgene expression in gene transfer trials.

Acid glycosidase and arylsulfatase activities of human cerebrospinal fluid as measured by concanavalin A-sepharose affinity chromatography.

An affinity chromatographic method using concanavalin A-Sepharose is described for the determination of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, arylsulfatase. alpha-L-Fucosidase and alpha-D-mannosidase activities in the human cerebrospinal fluid. By this method (starting with 12 to 20 ml samples of cerebrospinal fluid) the above enzymes could be obtained in a concentrated form and their activities could be determined within incubation periods of 30 min to 1 h under the assay conditions described. The pH optima of the enzymes were in the range of pH 4 to 5. About 80% of the total cerebrospinal fluid N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was found to be the A form by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography. About 60% of the total arylsulfatase was also found to be the A form. Determination of these enzyme activities in a few samples of human cerebrospinal fluid indicated a rough proportionality between the enzyme activities and the protein concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Lysosomal hydrolases in CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis.

The activities of acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase have been measured in 171 samples of cerebrospinal fluid from 104 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. The mean level of activity of these enzymes was lower than of controls. Patients who had the first or second bouts had somewhat higher activity of these enzymes compared to controls. The lowest values of these enzymes were found in patients with severe disability. Patients with late onset of the disease had higher levels of the enzymes compared to patients with an earlier debut of the illness, whereas patients with a short history had higher values than patients with a longer duration.

Diagnostic value of determinations of lysosomal hydrolases in CSF of patients with neurological diseases.

The activities of four lysosomal acid hydrolases, beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase at pH 4.5 and 5.5, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase, have been measured in serum and cerebrospinal fluid from 179 patients with different neurological diseases and from 20 healthy controls. In patients with tumours, decreased activity of beta-galactosidase was found in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid, and in patients with multiple sclerosis and collagen diseases, decreased activities of beta-galactosidase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase were found in cerebrospinal fluid. The variations of enzyme activities were great between the individual patients even with these groups and analysis of lysosomal enzymes seems to have a very poor clinical value.