Role of iron-ATP complex in lymphocyte proliferation and infiltration.

The roles of sodium-ATP (NaATP) and ferric-ATP complex (FeATP) on the proliferation and infiltration of lymphocytes have been studied by evaluation of the hypertrophy and histopathologic examination of spleen and liver, as well of the modifications in the elemental balance of iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. The results showed that in the implicated biochemical processes, calcium and magnesium have a principal role. An in vitro study on a cell model has permited one to evaluate the effects of deferoxamine, a known iron chelator and inhibitor of human lymphocyte proliferation, on FeATP-modified cellular calcium fluxes.