The ANTXR1 Knockout HAP1 Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population designed to disrupt the ANTXR1 gene. This polyclonal pool provides a genetically heterogeneous loss-of-function model, enabling robust functional studies without isolating individual clones. The cells are suitable for investigating ANTXR1-dependent mechanisms in cell adhesion, migration, and signaling, offering a versatile platform for both mechanistic and translational research.
The host HAP1 cell line is a near-haploid human line derived from the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line KBM-7. It is BCR-ABL positive and suspension-adapted, which simplifies genetic manipulation and culture. HAP1 cells are a widely adopted model for CRISPR/Cas9 knockout studies because their near-haploid karyotype eliminates the need for homozygous knockout selection, and the suspension growth format facilitates scalable experimental workflows, including high-throughput screening.
ANTXR1 (TEM8) is a transmembrane receptor that mediates cell adhesion to collagen VI and modulates both Wnt and integrin signaling. It interacts with LRP6 to promote ??-catenin/TCF-dependent transcription downstream of Wnt ligands. ANTXR1 also activates integrin-FAK-SRC-paxillin cascades, leading to regulation of RAC1 and RHOA, which control cell migration and cytoskeletal dynamics. This signaling network promotes actin cytoskeletal remodeling and focal adhesion turnover, facilitating cell migration and angiogenesis. Additionally, ANTXR1 serves as the receptor for anthrax protective antigen, making it a critical factor in anthrax toxin entry. Dysregulation of ANTXR1 has been implicated in colorectal and gastric cancer progression, as well as in hyaline fibromatosis syndrome.
In the HAP1 near-haploid background, ANTXR1 knockout eliminates the sole functional allele in most genomic regions, yielding a high-penetrance loss-of-function phenotype. This simplified genetic context reduces compensation by wild-type alleles, making it an ideal model to dissect ANTXR1??s roles in angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment interactions, and anthrax toxin susceptibility. Because HAP1 cells are suspension-adapted, they are particularly convenient for assays that require homogeneous liquid handling. The polyclonal nature of the knockout pool enables assessment of mixed genotypes, mirroring the heterogeneity observed in tumor populations and enhancing the physiological relevance of the model.
Researchers can use these polyclonal knockout cells for a variety of assays, including migration (scratch wound or transwell), adhesion to collagen VI, western blotting, qPCR, RNA-seq, and tube formation. Applications include cancer angiogenesis research, anthrax toxin studies, and drug target validation. The cells can be employed to evaluate the efficacy of anti-angiogenic compounds or to screen for compounds that block anthrax toxin entry. For further details, please contact Ascent Research.
