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Abstract: Although effects of nickel(II) on the immune system have long been recognized, little is known about the effects of nickel(II) on the induction of apoptosis and related signaling events in T cells. In the present study, we investigated the roles and signaling pathways of nickel(II) in the induction of apoptosis in a human T cell line jurkat. The results showed that the cytotoxic effects of Ni involved significant morphological changes and chromosomal condensation (Hoechst 33258 staining). Analyses of hypodiploid cells and FITC–Annexin V and PI double staining showed significant increase of apoptosis in jurkat cells 6, 12 and 24 h after nickel(II) treatment. Flow cytometry analysis also revealed that the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) occurred concomitantly with the onset of NiCl2-induced apoptosis. Induction of apoptotic cell death by nickel was mediated by reduction of bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, nickel stimulated the generation of nitric oxide (NO). These results suggest that nickel(II) chloride induces jurkat cells apoptosis via nitric oxide generation, mitochondrial depolarization and bcl-2 suppression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The suppressor of cytokine signaling SOCS1 is a member of the cytokine signaling pathway inhibitor family, which is induced by the IFN-γ induced JAK signaling pathway. The expression of SOCS1 has been found to increase in Crohn's disease (CD) patients, but the role of SOCS1 in intestinal epithelium is unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether SOCS1 has a role in the death of intestinal epithelial cells and intestinal injury. The results showed that the expression of SOCS1 increased in CD patients, and the expression of SOCS1, p-p53 and PUMA increased in the mouse TNBS induced colitis model. Using IFN-γ treated HT-29 cells as an apoptotic model of intestinal epithelial cells in vitro, we confirmed that SOCS1 promoted apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells by activating p53. In HT-29 cells which were treated with IFN-γ, the interaction between p53 and SOCS1 and phosphorylation of p53 were significantly higher than untreated cells. When knocking SOCS1 down by using SOCS1 siRNA, phosphorylation of p53 and apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells which was induced by IFN-γ were significantly inhibited. In summary, our findings suggest that SOCS1 may promote apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells at least partly through mediating p53 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]