title: Ferritins in malignant and non-malignant lymphoid cells.
abstract: Lymphoid cells from peripheral blood, thymus, malignant and non-malignant lymph nodes were analysed for ferritin content using radioimmunoassays specific for the 'acidic' H-subunit-rich and for 'basic' L-subunit-rich isoferritins, and the data were compared with the immunological characteristics of the cells. All tissues with high proportion of T or 'null' cells contained the lowest concentration of L-subunit-rich isoferritins, while the H-subunit-rich forms increased from low levels in the quiescent peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), to higher values in the immature and proliferating thymocytes and lymphoblasts, malignant or not. B-cell lymphomas contained concentrations of both ferritin types higher than those found in PBL. No significant difference was found in the isoferritin concentrations between non-malignant lymph nodes and tissues involved in Hodgkin's disease. These findings indicate that maturation stage, proliferative status and anatomical localization affect isoferritin expression in lymphoid cells.
mesh_terms: D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins