mcl-1 is up regulated by prenylated coumarin, umbelliprenin in jurkat cells

chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (cll) is the most common b-cell malignancy in the western world and exists as subtypes with very different clinical courses. myeloid cell leukemia 1 (mcl-1) is one member of bcl-2 family proteins that has been shown to be expressed in various tissues and malignant cells, including cll, where its expression is significantly associated with a failure to achieve complete remission following cytotoxic therapy. induction of apoptosis by prenylated coumarin, umbelliprenin, in jurkat cells was previously shown. we examined whether umbelliprenin can down-regulate mcl-1 gene and protein in jurkat cells. in this regard cells were incubated by umbelliprenin, and then down- regulation of mcl-1 gene was studied by real time pcr method. moreover, down-regulation of mcl-1 protein was studied by western blot analysis. we showed that, expression of mcl-1 mrna was increased from 1 hour to 3 hours incubation٫ but this increase has a scale down pattern. moreover umbelliprenin could inhibit mcl-1 protein. in conclusion umbelliprenin treatment modulates mcl-1 expression at both the transcriptional and posttranslational levels.