Glucosylceramide and the level of the glucosidase-stimulating proteins

The concentration of beta-glucosidase-stimulating proteins (called cohydrolase here) was measured in mouse liver and brain by immunoassay. Factors that might influence the levels of cohydrolase were examined. Injecting mice with an inactivator of glucosidase (conduritol B epoxide) rapidly produced elevations in liver glucosylceramide (the enzyme's substrate) and in liver and brain cohydrolase. Injection of glucosylceramide emulsified with Myrj 52 produced the same two effects in liver but not in brain. The increases in cohydrolase level induced by the enzyme inhibitor persisted in both organs for at least seven days, reaching 61-70% above the normal level. Injection of emulsified galactocerebroside, sphingomyelin and mixed glucosphingolipids but not of ceramide also produced rises in cohydrolase level. An increase in cohydrolase level resulted from injection of phenylhydrazine, which produces hemolysis and consequently an increased workload for the glucosidase of liver. When the enzyme inhibitor and/or larger amounts of glucosylceramide emulsion were injected (750 mg/kg body weight), increases in liver weight of 13 to 37% appeared within one day. The increased weight was characterized by increases in the weights of protein, total lipid and DNA and a very high increase in glucosylceramide level. These procedures have produced a rapidly developing model version of Gaucher disease in mice. Injected glucocerebroside also induced an elevated level of glucosidase activity.