AKR7A2 Knockout A-549 Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal population of human A-549 lung carcinoma cells harboring targeted disruption of the AKR7A2 gene. This gene-edited pool provides a heterogeneous loss-of-function model without clonal isolation, allowing investigation of aldo-keto reductase family 7 member A2 (AKR7A2) deficiency at the population level in an epithelial background.
The A-549 cell line was established from lung adenocarcinoma tissue of a 58-year-old male and displays adherent epithelial morphology. It serves as a well-characterized model of human alveolar type II epithelium and is widely used in studies of lung cancer biology, drug metabolism, and respiratory infections, making it a relevant host for probing the function of detoxification enzymes in pulmonary adenocarcinoma.
AKR7A2 is an NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase that reduces cytotoxic aldehydes such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) to less reactive alcohols, thereby decreasing protein carbonylation and protecting against lipid peroxidation. Its expression is activated by NRF2 (NFE2L2) transcription factors following oxidative or electrophilic stress, functioning downstream of the KEAP1?CNRF2?CARE signaling axis. The enzyme interacts with NADPH and substrates like 4-HNE and acrolein, and acts in concert with other NRF2 targets including AKR1C1, NQO1, and GCLC to mediate cellular antioxidant defenses.
In A-549 cells, AKR7A2 contributes to the detoxification of reactive aldehydes and may influence resistance to pro-oxidant chemotherapeutics. Disruption of AKR7A2 is anticipated to impair the reduction of 4-HNE, sensitizing cells to oxidative damage and providing a system to study NRF2-driven cytoprotection and drug sensitivity in lung adenocarcinoma. This model enables dissection of how aldo-keto reductase activity modulates stress responses and chemoresistance in an epithelial context.
The knockout cells are suitable for chemoresistance screening via MTT or CellTiter-Glo viability assays, direct 4-HNE quantification, NRF2 luciferase reporter assays, RT-qPCR analysis of NRF2 target genes, and immunoblotting. They can also be used for TBARS-based lipid peroxidation measurement and ROS detection. These applications support functional characterization of AKR7A2 in lung epithelial biology and oxidative stress pathways. For further information, please contact Ascent Research.
