Co-targeting Bcl-xL and Bax, e.g., by using Bcl-xL inhibitor and Bax activator is, therefore, a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to BTZ and/or other chemotherapeutic drugs in MCL cells, in which underlying mechanisms involved the imbalance or aberrant of Bcl-2 family proteins, to improve clinical outcome and achieve long-term control of disease. Here, BCL2L1 is linked to mantle cell lymphoma.