An alternative hypothesis of cellular transport of lysosomal enzymes in fibroblasts. Effect of inhibitors of lysosomal enzyme endocytosis on intra- and extra-cellular lysosomal enzyme activities.

Recapture of lysosomal enzymes secreted by fibroblasts was inhibited by growing the cells in the presence of either free or immobilized antibodies against lysosomal enzymes or in the presence of phosphorylated carbohydrates known to interact with the cell-surface receptors for lysosomal enzymes. The following results were obtained. 1. Conditions that prevent recapture of released lysosomal enzymes increase the rate of extracellular accumulation of these enzymes up to twice that of controls. 2. Growing cells for 12 days in the presence of 0.5mm-mannose 6-phosphate, which decreases beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase endocytosis to less than 10% of that of controls, has no effect on the intracellular activity of this and four other lysosomal enzymes. 3. Growing cells for 4 days in the presence of 50mm-mannose 6-phosphate, which is a 1000-fold higher concentration than that required for 50% inhibition of lysosomal enzyme endocytosis, leads to a 4-fold increase in extracellular beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase accumulation and a decrease in intracellular enzyme. These results give evidence that, in fibroblasts, transfer of lysosomal enzymes into lysosomes does not require secretion before a receptor-mediated recapture [Hickman & Neufeld (1972) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.49, 992-999]. We propose that (a) lysosomal enzymes are present in a receptor-bound form in those vesicles that fuse with the cell membrane, (b) the major part of the lysosomal enzyme cycles via the cell surface in a receptor-bound form and (c) only a minor part of the lysosomal enzyme is released into the extracellular space during its life cycle.