BCL-2 regulation targeting the AU-rich domain.

In an effort to identify potential upregulators of bcl-2 activity in t(14;18) follicular B lymphoma cells, we detected a hybrid bcl-2/IgH RNA transcribed in antisense orientation. This antisense transcript may contribute to upregulation of bcl-2 expression in t(14;18) cells, overlapping AU-rich motifs present in the 3'-untranslated region of bcl-2 mRNA. We have studied the enzymatic efficiency of a ribozyme directed towards the bcl-2 AU-rich region in a cell-free system determining its kinetic parameters.