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.