OBJECTIVETo study the expression changes of apoptosis related genes induced by cerulenin in multiple myeloma cell line U266 and explore its molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe expression changes of 96 apoptosis related genes were analyzed by superArray cDNA in U266 cells treated with cerulenin (20 microg/ml) for 12 h. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to confirm the representative expression changes genes, Rip2, caspase 9 and TRAF2.

RESULTSAfter treated with cerulenin for 12 h, 44 apoptosis related genes expression in the U266 cells were changed, among which 41 were over 2 fold increase and 3 over 2 fold decrease. The expression of caspase 9 was increased markedly, indicating that mitochondria pathway played a key role in cerulenin inducing apoptosis and TRAF2 expression change suggested that nuclear factor (NF) participates in cerulenin inducing apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONThe death acceptor signaling pathway and the death acceptor non-dependence signaling pathway co-regulate cerulenin inducing apoptosis in U266 cells. Mitochondria pathway played the key role and nuclear factor (NF) participates in the apoptosis process.