Evaluation of neutrophil and lymphocyte function in subjects with iron deficiency.
Neutrophil function was studied in a group of 15 children, 7 with iron deficiency (4 with iron deficiency anaemia) and 8 age-matched controls; by clinical and laboratory criteria, all were uninfected. In a second group of 28 children, 14 iron-deficient (6 with iron deficiency anaemia) and 14 controls, numbers of circulating T and B lymphocytes and responsiveness to the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A were assessed. Levels of salivary IgA were estimated in every patient. Neutrophil chemotaxis to autologous endotoxin-activated serum and control serum, phagocytosis of Candida albicans and post-phagocytic nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction were similar in both the iron-deficient and control groups. Likewise, levels of secretory IgA, serum immunoglobulins, total haemolytic complement and complement components, and numbers of T and B lymphocytes were comparable in both iron-deficient groups and the control group. However, transformation to both mitogens was reduced in the group with iron deficiency anaemia.
D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis
D001798:Blood Proteins