Enzyme loading of erythrocytes.

We demonstrated that beta-glucosidase and beta-galactosidase can be trapped inside erythrocytes by rapid hemolysis of the cell in the presence of these enzymes. Enzyme enters only during hemolysis, and optimum uptake occurs within 60 sec. There is no loss in cell number after hemolysis-induced enzyme uptake, and the ghosts have only a slightly increased mean cell volume. Smaller proteins enter more readily than larger proteins, although enzymes with a molecular weight of at least 180,000 can be readily entrapped by erythrocytes. This finding may provide a useful approach to the problem of enzyme replacement in certain diseases, including Gaucher's disease.