Neutrophils (PMNs) from patients with secondary iron overload have an increased iron and
ferritin content as well as a phagocytosis defect. Several serum components might be
incriminated in the cellular iron accumulation. We therefore compared the effects on the
PMN phagocytosis of total serum as well as the ferritin and transferrin fractions of serum
derived from patients with thalassemia major and healthy control subjects. An incubation
system of PMNs was developed. PMN phagocytosis was measured before and after …