Canine mucopolysaccharidosis type VII results from deficient activity of lysosomal
ß-glucuronidase. Residual enzymatic activity (0.2-1.7% of normal) was detected in
tissue homogenates from affected dogs. In contrast, serum and urine from affected animals
had up to 15% residual activity. To further characterize the nature of the defective enzyme,
hepatic ß-glucuronidase was partially purified from normal and MPS VII dogs for determination
of their physical and kinetic properties. About 65% of the total ß-glucuronidase in
normal canine liver required detergent for solubilization (i.e., membrane-associated),
whereas only 22% of the residual activity in canine MPS VII liver was membrane-associated.
Compared to the normal hepatic enzyme, the K(m) towards 4-methylumbelliferyl-ß-glucuronide
was markedly increased in MPS VII dogs (i.e., 0.48 versus > 2.5 mmol/l). In contrast,
the thermo-, cryo-, and pH stability properties, as well as the pH optimum (≈ 4.6), were
essentially unaffected. In addition, the canine MPS VII hepatic residual activity was unresponsive
to sulfhydryl reducing reagents and divalent cations, despite the fact that incubation
of normal canine ß-glucuronidase with dithiothreitol and magnesium and/or calcium
enhanced the activity more than 15-fold.