The BMP2 Knockout AGS Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population derived from the AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma line, with targeted disruption of the BMP2 gene. This loss-of-function model enables investigation of BMP2, a TGF-beta superfamily ligand involved in bone formation and cell regulation, without the limitations of transient silencing. As a polyclonal population, these cells are suitable for bulk functional assays in gastric cancer research.
The AGS cell line was established from a primary gastric adenocarcinoma of a 54-year-old Caucasian female and serves as a widely used epithelial model of gastric adenocarcinoma. AGS cells retain key oncogenic features and provide a relevant background for studying tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and signaling. Their use in BMP2 knockout allows dissection of tumor-suppressive mechanisms within a clinically pertinent context.
BMP2 signals through heteromeric complexes of type I (BMPR1A/BMPR1B) and type II (BMPR2) receptors, leading to phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8. These R-SMADs partner with SMAD4 to translocate to the nucleus and regulate target genes such as ID1, ID2, and RUNX2. BMP2 activity is modulated by extracellular antagonists (NOG, CHRD, GREM1) and inhibitory SMADs (SMAD6, SMAD7), and intersects with MAPK, Wnt, and PI3K-Akt pathways.
In AGS gastric cancer cells, BMP2 often acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Mechanistically, it may upregulate p21 and downregulate BCL2 via SMAD-dependent transcription. Disruption of BMP2 in this polyclonal model enables studies of how loss of this ligand alters tumor cell behavior, including growth, survival, and metastatic potential, and how it reshapes signaling networks.
Applications include proliferation (MTT/WST-1), apoptosis (annexin V/PI flow cytometry), colony formation, and Transwell migration/invasion assays. Signaling analyses can employ phospho-SMAD1/5/8 Western blotting, RT-qPCR for ID1 and RUNX2, and immunofluorescence for SMAD localization. RNA-seq facilitates transcriptome-wide analysis of BMP2-dependent changes. These cells are also suited for drug response screening. For more information, contact Ascent Research.
