Lysosomal enzyme activities in frozen, non-cultured chorionic villi for prenatal diagnosis of enzymopathies.

Normal reference values of lysosomal enzyme activities (alpha-glucosidase, mannosidase, fucosidase and arylsulfatase-A) were determined in chorionic villi obtained from artificial abortion in the first trimester of normal pregnancies (gestational weeks 6 to 11). Villi were homogenized comparatively either in saline or in Triton X-100 detergent. The alpha-glucosidase, mannosidase and arylsulfatase-A enzyme activities significantly diminished if homogenization was done in saline instead of Triton-X while the difference in fucosidase activity was not significant. Significant correlation was detected between alpha-glucosidase activity and week of gestation. It is suggested that Triton X-100-homogenization should be used for the lysosomal enzyme determinations in chorionic villi because the solubilization of enzymes from the lysosomes is complete in this case than with homogenization in saline.