N-glycan-modified α-L-iduronidase produced by transgenic silkworms ameliorates clinical signs in a Japanese macaque with mucopolysaccharidosis I.

Background: Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an inherited lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) caused by recessive mutations in the α-L-iduronidase (IDUA) gene. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) utilizing terminal mannose-6-phosphate (M6P)-carrying N-glycans attached to therapeutic enzymes produced by mammalian cell lines has been clinically applied to several LSDs. Recent studies suggested an unidentified delivery pathway mediated by sialic acid-containing N-glycans. However, more economical platform development is required to produce large quantities of recombinant enzymes. Transgenic silkworms have been established as low-cost systems for expressing recombinant glycoproteins. Microbial endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidases (ENGases) enable the transglycosylation of N-glycans to other types.

Methods: We purified recombinant human IDUA from IDUA transgenic silkworm cocoons and performed ENGase-mediated transglycosylation. Furthermore, we performed intravenous enzyme replacement therapy in a Japanese macaque MPS I non-human primate model carrying a homozygous IDUA missense mutation.

Results: Here we show the establishment of IDUA transgenic silkworms and purification of recombinant human IDUA from cocoons. As M6P- and sialic acid-containing N-glycans are not attached to purified hIDUA, we perform ENGase-mediated transglycosylation to obtain hIDUAs with M6P- and sialic acid-containing N-glycans (neoglyco-hIDUAs). Furthermore, we perform intravenous neoglyco-hIDUA replacement therapy in MPS I non-human primate model and succeed in improving the clinical signs and reducing the urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels.

Conclusions: These glycotechnologies using transgenic silkworms and ENGases are expected to serve as platforms for developing therapeutic glycoproteins.