CELL-CYCLE KINETICS IN BLOOD-LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS WITH PROGERIA AND FROM NORMAL SUBJECTS

We studied the duration of the cell cycle in peripheral blood lymphocy tes from three children with progeria and from normal subjects of diff erent ages, using the average generation time (AGT) and the analytical method (A-cct) recently described by our group. There were significan t differences between the studied groups, progeria patients showing hi gher values than healthy controls matched by chronological ages. These facts are probably related to an impaired proliferation response or t o a decreased sensitivity to growth factors, since we found less cell proliferation and less interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in the lymphocy te cultures of normal old individuals and children with progeria. Med Sci Res 26:531-534 (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.