The BMPR1A Knockout HCT 116 Polyclonal Cells product is a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population derived from the human colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT 116, engineered to disrupt the BMPR1A gene. This targeted gene disruption generates a loss-of-function model for the BMP type IA receptor, a critical serine/threonine kinase receptor in the BMP signaling pathway. The polyclonal format provides a diverse cell population suited for robust functional studies without clonal bias.
The parental HCT 116 cell line is a widely used colorectal cancer model characterized by microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and oncogenic mutations in KRAS (G13D) and PIK3CA, while maintaining wild-type TP53. This genetic background mirrors key molecular features of human colorectal tumors, making it valuable for tumorigenesis research and drug testing.
BMPR1A encodes a receptor that, upon ligand binding by BMP2, BMP4, BMP6, BMP7, or GDF5, forms a complex with BMPR2 and phosphorylates SMAD1, SMAD5, and SMAD8. These activated SMADs associate with SMAD4 to regulate transcription of downstream targets, including the ID family (ID1, ID2, ID3), the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1A (p21), the pro-apoptotic BAX, and the transcription factor JUNB. Signaling is modulated by interacting proteins such as SMURF1, FKBP12, and endoglin, and converges with TGF-beta, MAPK/ERK, and Wnt pathways.
In the colorectum, BMPR1A acts as a tumor suppressor by promoting differentiation and apoptosis while suppressing stem cell self-renewal. Its inactivation is implicated in juvenile polyposis syndrome and contributes to colorectal and gastric cancer progression. The HCT 116 knockout model thus enables dissection of BMPR1A-mediated tumor suppression in a background of concurrent oncogenic mutations.
This polyclonal knockout cell population supports diverse applications, including mechanistic studies of BMP tumor suppressor signaling in colorectal cancer, functional modeling of juvenile polyposis syndrome, drug screening for BMP pathway modulators, and investigation of intestinal stem cell dynamics. Common assays include Western blotting for phospho-SMAD1/5/8, RT-qPCR of ID1/ID2, BRE-luciferase reporter, cell proliferation and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3) assays, immunofluorescence for SMAD4 nuclear translocation, colony formation, and xenograft tumor growth. For additional information, please contact Ascent Research.
