Zinc Deficiency May Contribute to Immune Dysfunction in CLL

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[An old post, but interesting nonetheless. I wonder if things have

changed in the last 28 years? Would be interesting to find out.]

Cancer. 1987 Oct 15;60(8):1842-6.

Observations of serum trace elements in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Beguin Y, Brasseur F, Weber G, Bury J, Delbrouck JM, Roelandts I,

Robaye G, Fillet G.

Department of Hematology, University of Liege, Belgium.

Serum trace elements (STE) were measured in 50 patients with chronic

lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 100 normal subjects.

Copper was higher in patients than in controls (1.50 +/- 0.06 versus

1.10 +/- 0.02 micrograms/ml, P less than 0.001), increased steadily

from Stage 0 to Stage 4 (P = 0.002), and correlated with the

lymphocyte count and serum lactate dehydrogenase (P less than 0.01)

but not with acute phase reactants.

Zinc was lower in patients than in controls (0.94 +/- 0.03 versus

1.10 +/- 0.02 micrograms/ml, P less than 0.001).

Zinc (NS), selenium (P = 0.039), and calcium (P = 0.033), were

decreased in Stages 3-4 as compared to Stages 0-2. The copper-to-zinc

ratio (CZR) increased continuously from Stage 0 to Stage 4 (P less

than 0.001).

Discriminant analysis between two groups, Stage 0-2 and Stage 3-4,

based on serum copper, zinc, calcium, and protein levels, allowed for

a correct classification of 94% of the patients. Moreover, the

clinical staging of the remaining 6% was modified retrospectively

according to the results of discriminant analysis.

It was concluded that (1) serum copper and CZR are useful indices of

the extent of disease, (2) they are independent of a nonspecific

acute phase reaction, (3) STE determination could be helpful in the

staging of a limited number of CLL patients, and (4) zinc deficiency

could contribute to immune dysfunction in CLL.

PMID: 3652010 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]