Detection of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells of 31 subjects affected by Down syndrome before and after zinc therapy.

Thirty-one patients affected by Down syndrome (DS) were investigated to study the presence of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells in relation to the plasma levels of zinc. Twelve patients had undergone therapy with ZnSO4, while the remaining 19 were untreated. The presence of programmed cell death was evaluated by means of electron microscopy, in situ nick translation (NT), and agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA. These approaches evidenced the presence of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells of patients before therapy with ZnSO4, while after zinc supplementation there was a reduction in the number of apoptotic cells. These results suggest that the process of programmed cell death in peripheral blood cells of patients with Down syndrome is related to the plasma levels of zinc ion.