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Concept
Hunter syndrome
Summary
Hunter syndrome, or mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), is a rare genetic disorder in which large sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (or GAGs or mucopolysaccharides) build up in body tissues. It is a form of lysosomal storage disease. Hunter syndrome is caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S). The lack of this enzyme causes heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate to accumulate in all body tissues. Hunter syndrome is the only MPS syndrome to exhibit X-linked recessive inheritance.
The symptoms of Hunter syndrome are comparable to those of MPS I. It causes abnormalities in many organs, including the skeleton, heart, and respiratory system. In severe cases, this leads to death during the teenaged years. Unlike MPS I, corneal clouding is not associated with this disease.
Hunter syndrome may present with a wide variety of phenotypes. It has traditionally been categorized as either "mild" or "severe" depending on the presence of central nervous system symptoms, but this is an oversimplification. Patients with "attenuated" or "mild" forms of the disease may still have significant health issues. For severely affected patients, the clinical course is relatively predictable; patients will normally die at an early age. For those with milder forms of the disease, a wider variety of outcomes exist. Many live into their 20s and 30s, but some may have near-normal life expectancies. Cardiac and respiratory abnormalities are the usual cause of death for patients with milder forms of the disease.
The symptoms of Hunter syndrome (MPS II) are generally not apparent at birth. Often, the first symptoms may include abdominal hernias, ear infections, runny noses, and colds. As the buildup of GAGs continues throughout the cells of the body, signs of MPS II become more visible. The physical appearance of many children with the syndrome include a distinctive coarseness in their facial features, including a prominent forehead, a nose with a flattened bridge, and an enlarged tongue.
Official source
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