A novel single-chain antibody fragment for detection of mannose 6-phosphate-containing proteins: application in mucolipidosis type II patients and mice.

Newly synthesized soluble lysosomal hydrolases require mannose 6-phosphate (Man6P) residues on their oligosaccharides for their transport to lysosomes. The formation of Man6P residues is catalyzed by the GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, which is defective in the lysosomal storage disorders mucolipidosis type II (ML II) and ML III. Both hypersecretion and reduced intracellular level of lysosomal enzymes as well as direct sequencing of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase genes are important diagnostic markers for ML II and ML III. A high-affinity Man6P-specific single-chain antibody fragment was generated, allowing the rapid indirect demonstration of defective GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. In media and extracts of cultured fibroblasts of healthy controls but not of ML II and ML III patients, several Man6P-containing proteins could be detected by anti-Man6P Western blotting. Immunoprecipitation of Man6P-containing proteins from conditioned media or mouse brain extracts followed by arylsulfatase A and cathepsin D Western blotting confirmed the specificity of the antibody fragment for lysosomal proteins. Application of the antibody fragment in immunohistochemistry of human brain slices from nonaffected patients showed strong neuronal immunoreactivity, which was not observed in cortical sections of an ML II patient. Finally, in brain extracts of a novel GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase knock-in mouse no Man6P-containing proteins were detectable. Thus, the single-chain antibody fragment against Man6P was demonstrated to allow the specific, rapid, and convenient detection of Man6P-containing proteins and facilitates the diagnosis of ML II and ML III.