Objective      To explore the effect of lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference  targeting myeloid leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of lymphoma cell line SNK-6.       Methods      The shRNA targeting Mcl-1 gene was designed and the lentiviral vector carrying the shRNA was constructed. Lymphoma SNK-6 cells were transfected with the recombinant lentiviral vectors (shRNA group) and the blank lentiviral vectors (control group)

respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of Mcl-1 gene in SNK-6 cells before and after transfection. MTT assay and flow cytometry were applied to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of the transfected SNK-6 cells

respectively.        Results      The shRNA targeting Mcl-1 gene was successfully inserted into the lentiviral vectors

which could effectively infect lymphoma SNK-6 cells. The mRNA and protein expression of Mcl-1 gene in the shRNA group significantly decreased as compared with those in the control group. The MTT assay results suggested that the proliferation of SNK-6 cells was significantly inhibited in the shRNA group as compared with that in the control group [(31.6±3.3)% vs (5.8±2.7)%

P0.01]. The flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate of the shRNA group was significantly higher than that of the control group [(28.9±2.1)% vs (5.3±1.5)%

P0.01].       Conclusion      Lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference targeting Mcl-1 gene can specifically block Mcl-1 gene expression

and inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of SNK-6 cells.