Idursulfase

Hunter's Syndrome is an X-linked recessive disease caused by insufficient levels of the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase. This enzyme cleaves the terminal 2-O-sulfate moieties from the glycosaminoglycans (GAG) dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate. Due to the missing or defective iduronate-2-sulfatase enzyme in patients with Hunter's Syndrome, GAG progressively accumulate in the lysosomes of a variety of cells, leading to cellular engorgement, organomegaly, tissue destruction and organ system dysfunction. Treatment of Hunter's Syndrome patients with idursulfase provides exogenous enzyme for uptake into cellular lysosomes. Targeting of idursulfase to the lysosome occurs by endocytosis from the cell surface. Mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) residues on the oligosaccharide chains allow specific binding of the enzymes to the M6P receptors on the cell surface, leading to cellular internalization of the enzyme, targeting to intracellular lysosomes and subsequent catabolism of accumulated GAG.