Measurement of DNA and RNA in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Abstract

Abstract A method is described, modified from a published technic, for obtaining lymphocytes from human peripheral blood. The cell preparations containing greater than 90% lymphocytes were analyzed for their DNA and RNA content, using a modified Schmidt-Thannhauser procedure. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of 40 normal adults were examined, and normal values established for the 2 compounds. The mean lymphocyte DNA was 0.73 pg DNA phosphorus per million cells, and the mean lymphocyte RNA was 0.19 pg RNA phosphorus per million cells. These values are consistent with results published for human leukocytes. The ratio RNA phosphorus:DNA phosphorus is proposed as a reliable index of changes in the RNA content of the blood lymphocytes.