Iron and Deferoxamine in Lymphocyte Blastogenesis

Abstract
Murine lymphocytes in tissue culture accumulate 59Fe during the blastogenic process. The accumulation of Fe is related to the time of maximal activity of DNA synthesis. A chelator of Fe, deferoxamine, inhibits blastogenesis with 50% inhibitory concentration of 5 .mu.M. Fe is necessary for the blastogenic response, and may partially explain the immune deficiency associated with Fe deficiency anemia.