Variations of Human Blood Cell Zinc in Disease*

Abstract

Leukocyte Zn was found to be decreased in patients with leukemia; the lowest levels were in patients with chronic leukemias and acute lymphocytic leukemia. Decreased leukocyte Zn was observed also in patients with myeloid metaplasia and cirrhosis of the liver, and in one patient with megaloblastic anemia. Total and differential cell counts and various enzymes of leukocytes did not correlate with leukocyte Zn levels. Erythrocyte Zn was increased in many patients with leukemia and myeloid metaplasia and distinctly elevated in patients with megaloblastic anemia. The Zn level showed a direct correlation with the mean corpuscular volume of the erythrocytes in some cases. It was confirmed that leukocyte Zn rises as patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia respond to therapy, and erythrocyte Zn declines as megaloblastic anemias subside. There seems to be a reciprocal relationship between leukocyte and erythrocyte Zn levels in various diseases.