We synthesized a galactose derivative, N-octyl-4-epi-␤-valienamine (NOEV), for a molecular therapy (chemical chaperone therapy) of a human neurogenetic disease, ␤-galactosidosis (GM1-gangliosidosis and Morquio B disease). It is a potent inhibitor of lysosomal ␤-galactosidase in vitro. Addition of NOEV in the culture medium restored mutant enzyme activity in cultured human or murine fibroblasts at low intracellular concentrations, resulting in a marked decrease of intracellular substrate storage. Short-term oral administration of NOEV to a model mouse of juvenile G M1-gangliosidosis, expressing a mutant enzyme protein R201C, resulted in significant enhancement of the enzyme activity in the brain and other tissues. Immunohistochemical stain revealed a decrease in the amount of G M1 and GA1 in neuronal cells in the fronto-temporal cerebral cortex and brainstem. However, mass biochemical analysis did not show the substrate reduction observed histochemically in these limited areas in the brain probably because of the brief duration of this investigation. Chemical chaperone therapy may be useful for certain patients with ␤-galactosidosis and potentially other lysosomal storage diseases with central nervous system involvement.

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β-Galactosidase deficiency is a group of lysosomal lipid storage disorders with an autosomal recessive trait. It causes two clinically different diseases, G(M1) -gangliosidosis and Morquio B disease. It is caused by heterogeneous mutations in the GLB1 gene coding for the lysosomal acid β-galactosidase. We have previously reported the chaperone effect of N-octyl-4-epi-β-valienamine (NOEV) on mutant β-galactosidase proteins. In this study, we performed genotype analyses of patients with β-galactosidase deficiency and identified 46 mutation alleles including 9 novel mutations. We then examined the NOEV effect on mutant β-galactosidase proteins by using six strains of patient-derived skin fibroblast. We also performed mutagenesis to identify β-galactosidase mutants that were responsive to NOEV and found that 22 out of 94 mutants were responsive. Computational structural analysis revealed the mode of interaction between human β-galactosidase and NOEV. Moreover, we confirmed that NOEV reduced G(M1) accumulation and ameliorated the impairments of lipid trafficking and protein degradation in β-galactosidase deficient cells. These results provided further evidence to NOEV as a promising chaperone compound for β-galactosidase deficiency.

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