Genomic newborn screening: ICoNS

Gene: ARSB

Green List (high evidence)

ARSB (arylsulfatase B)
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh38): ENSG00000113273
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh37): ENSG00000113273
OMIM: 611542, ClinGen, DECIPHER
ARSB is in 15 panels

1 review

Judit Garcia (Other)

Green List (high evidence)

-Included in Genomics England PanelApp and postulated as definitive in CLinGen.
-ARSB encodes aryl sulfatase B (ASB), an enzyme that catalyzes the removal of the C4 sulfate ester group from the N-acetylgalactosamine sugar residue at the nonreducing terminus of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) dermatan sulfate (DS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) during lysosomal degradation.
-Individuals with MPS6, ASB deficiency results in accumulation of DS and CS, which leads to symptoms including short stature, coarse facies, dysostosis multiplex, hepatosplenomegaly, corneal clouding, and cardiac disease.
-The disease mechanism of MPS6 is loss of function.
-Enzyme replacement therapy is based on the weekly intravenous infusion with the recombinant form of human ASB or galsulfase (Naglazyme®, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., Novato, CA, USA) and to date is the only specific treatment developed for MPS VI.
The first, published in 2014 by Giugliani et al., was a cross-sectional survey study in 121 MPS VI patients treated for an average of 7 years: collected data evidenced improvements of pulmonary function, endurance, a stabilized cardiac function, and an increased survival. Another study by Horovitz ET AL. 2021 evidenced, in 32 patients treated for about 10 years, that starting ERT before 5 years of age has positive effects on growth velocity, major respiratory complications and mortality rate.
Furthermore, clinical observations on siblings have demonstrated that an early ERT treatment can be effective in preventing and slowing down disease progression, but with still limited effect on skeletal symptoms and corneal clouding. Moreover, early initiation of ERT has positive effects on children growth with an age- and severity-dependent impact: younger and more severe children (high urinary GAG excretion patients) seem to receive more benefit (Giugliani R et al. 2014 and Harmatz P.et al 2017).
Created: 21 Apr 2026, 4:18 a.m. | Last Modified: 21 Apr 2026, 4:18 a.m.
Panel Version: 1.85

Mode of inheritance
BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal

Phenotypes
Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (Maroteaux-Lamy); MIM# 253200

Publications

Mode of pathogenicity
Other

Variants in this GENE are reported as part of current diagnostic practice

History Filter Activity

28 Apr 2026, Gel status: 3

Created, Added New Source, Set mode of inheritance, Set Phenotypes

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

gene: ARSB was added gene: ARSB was added to Genomic newborn screening: ICoNS. Sources: Expert Review Green,Expert list Mode of inheritance for gene: ARSB was set to BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal Phenotypes for gene: ARSB were set to Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS6, MIM# 253200