Zinc metabolism in normal, lectin-stimulated and leukemic lymphocytes.

Gel filtration of the cytoplasmic fraction of homogenate from human peripheral lymphocytes incubated with 65Zn gave five separate peaks with molecular weights of greater than 150,000, 90,000, 65,000, 20,000, and less than 1000 daltons. Peaks I--IV consisted of proteins. The low molecular weight (peak V) may consist of nucleotides, polyamines and amino acids. After gel filtration 75-80% of the 65Zn activity was found in peak V. Lectin-induced stimulation of normal lymphocytes revealed a distribution pattern of 65Zn binding similar to that of unstimulated cells. There was only a slightly enhanced incorporation into the protein peaks I--IV. When peripheral lymphocytes of B lymphocyte origin from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were incubated with 65Zn the same peaks were seen as with supernatants obtained from normal lymphocytes. Lectin-induced stimulation of leukemic lymphocytes had no significant effect on the 65Zn distribution pattern.