Zinc status and cellular immunity in pediatric Hodgkin's disease

In the present study we investigated serum, plasma, RBC and hair zinc concentrations in pediatric Hodgkin's cases at initial presentation and in remission (measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry). In addition, immune parameters such as total lymphocyte counts (TLC), E-rosette test (E-R), lymphocyte proliferative (LP) responses to PHA, and skin tests to four antigens were simultaneously investigated in some cases. Although all zinc levels were found to be significantly low before treatment, suggesting chronic zinc deficiency, serum and plasma zinc levels returned to normal during remission. A positive correlation could be detected only between serum zinc levels and lymphocyte blastogenic response to PHA. Hodgkin's patients with complete anergia also showed significantly lower serum zinc levels and LP responses to PHA than the patients without anergia.