Trace elements and immunologic defects. Zinc deficiency and activity of lysosomal acid phosphatase in lymphocyte of mice.

Activity of lysosomal acid phosphatase in peripheral blood lymphocytes of mice fed a low-Zn diet has been studied. The study comprised 40 CBA T6T6 mice, female, aged 8 weeks, with body weight equal to about 18.0 g. The animals were fed during 10 days with a low-Zn diet. This latter diet, as well as the control one contained 0.8 mg% and 11.4 mg% of zinc, respectively; potable water contained 0.06 mg% of this element. Activity of the enzyme was determined semiquantitatively using cytochemical method of Barka and Anderson. Peripheral blood lymphocytes in mice fed a low-Zn diet exhibited statistically significant lowering of the intracellular enzyme activity when compared with control groups. Absolute count of enzyme-positive lymphocytes was also significantly lowered. The Authors discuss the importance of their observations for evaluation of immune reactivity in trace-elements-deficient animals.