Cell cycle distribution defect in PHA‐stimulated T lymphocytes of sickle cell disease patients

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Abstract
T lymphocytes from normal human controls and sickie cell disease (SCD) patients were isolated from peripheral blood and cultured for 72 hours following addition of phytohem-agglutinin. The ratio for the fraction of cells in DNA synthesis (S phase) over the fraction in G2 phase (S/G2) was significantly higher in SCD patients in comparison to the controls (mean ± SD) (4.01 ± 0.78 vs. 2.78 ± 0.76, P < 0.02). Following in vivo zinc supplementation to two subjects, the S/G2 ratio was normalized. We conclude that the distribution of T lymphocytes in cell cycle is altered in SCD patients and that this effect may be zinc-de-pendent.