OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and XAV939, a specific inhibitor for β-catenin, on growth and apoptosis of mantle cell lymphoma(MCL) Jeko-1 cell line.

METHODSβ-catenin shRNA eukaryotic expression vector was transfected into Jeko-1 cells, the antiproliferative effect of shRNA on Jeko-1 cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The proliferation inhibitory rate of Jeko-1 cells treated by different doses of XAV939 was assayed by MTT method; the level of apoptosis of Jeko-1 cells was detected by flow cytometry; the expression levels of apoptosis-related protein BCL-2, BAX, CyclinD1, C-MYC and Caspase-3 in Jeko-1 cells were determined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe expression of β-catenin mRNA and growth of Jeko-1 cell line were inhibited by shRNA; after Jeko-1 cells treated with 0,2 and 8 µmol/L XAV939 for 48 hours, the cell proliferation rate decreased, while the cell apoptosis rate increased, the expressions of apoptosis-related protein BCL-2, CyclinD1 and C-MYC were down-regulated, on the contrary, the expression of BAX and caspase-3 were up-regulated.

CONCLUSIONThe specific inhibition of β-catenin can inhibit Jeko-1 cell proliferation and promote the cell apoptosis.