title: Zinc has no effect on IL-3-mediated apoptosis of BAF-3 cells but enhances CD95-mediated apoptosis of jurkat cells.
abstract: The feasibility of using a zinc-inducible gene expression system for the study of apoptosis-controlling genes in BAF-3 murine B cells and Jurkat human T cells was evaluated. Initially, cell sensitivity to a range of zinc concentrations was examined. It was found that zinc concentrations above 60 microM were toxic to BAF-3 cells and those above 50 microM were toxic to Jurkat cells. Secondly, the zinc concentration required to achieve maximal gene expression was examined. BAF-3 cells transiently transfected with the pMTCB6+/luciferase vector were exposed to zinc concentrations ranging from 0-120 microM, whilst stably transfected Jurkat cells were exposed to 0-70 microM zinc. At zinc concentrations nontoxic to each cell type, the maximum induction achieved was 20-fold (at 60 microM) in BAF-3 cells, and 7.5-fold (at 50 microM) in Jurkat cells. Thirdly, the effect of zinc on apoptosis was examined. It was shown that exposure to nontoxic zinc concentrations had no effect on IL-3 withdrawal-mediated apoptosis of BAF-3 cells. However, in the case of Jurkat cells, pre-exposure to zinc augmented CD95-mediated apoptosis. These results illustrate the importance of characterizing individual cell lines when using zinc-inducible gene expression systems.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK. lcs9@psu.edu
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007377:Interleukin-3; D019014:fas Receptor; D015032:Zinc