Acid beta-glucosidase and the diagnosis of Gaucher's disease in liver and spleen.

Variable amounts of residual 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-glucosidase activity gave rise to difficulties in the diagnosis of Gaucher's disease using spleen and particularly liver. Soluble and particulate components of beta-glucosidase, which interfere with the diagnosis, may be eliminated by preincubation of homogenates at pH 3.0 or with 100 mM sodium chloride at pH 4.0. After either of these treatments the optimum of acid beta-glucosidase was pH 4.5 and diagnosis of Gaucher's disease could be more easily made using homogenates of spleen and liver. There was residual acid beta-glucosidase activity in one of the Gaucher livers.