The CD38 Knockout CAL-27 Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal population derived from the CAL-27 human oral squamous cell carcinoma line, with targeted disruption of the CD38 gene. This loss-of-function model preserves the heterogeneity of the polyclonal pool, avoiding clonal selection artifacts. The cells are supplied for immediate use in studying CD38-dependent signaling in epithelial cancers.
The parental CAL-27 line, established from a human tongue squamous cell carcinoma, is an adherent, epithelial-like model widely used in head and neck cancer research. It retains aggressive growth and invasive traits typical of oral squamous cell carcinoma, making it ideal for investigating tumor progression and therapeutic resistance.
CD38 is a transmembrane ectoenzyme with ADP-ribosyl cyclase and hydrolase activities, converting NAD+ into second messengers cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and ADP-ribose (ADPR). cADPR induces calcium release from endoplasmic reticulum via ryanodine receptors, while ADPR activates TRPM2 channels. CD38 also serves as a receptor for CD31 (PECAM-1) and associates with CD73, SIRT1, PARP1, and hyaluronic acid. Transcriptionally, CD38 is induced by retinoic acid, interferons, and transcription factors STAT1, IRF1, NF-??B, and estrogen. Downstream, cADPR and ADPR signals converge on calcium-dependent activation of ERK1/2.
In CAL-27 cells, CD38-mediated NAD+ metabolism and calcium signaling contribute to metabolic adaptation, proliferation, and migration. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated CD38 disruption is expected to alter NAD+ homeostasis, blunt cADPR/ADPR-dependent calcium fluxes, and impair ERK1/2 signaling, thereby attenuating oncogenic phenotypes. The polyclonal knockout population enables robust phenotypic assessment averaged across diverse edits.
Applications include dissecting CD38 function in oral cancer progression, testing the CD31?CCD38 adhesion axis, and evaluating CD38 as a therapeutic target in solid tumors. The model supports western blotting for CD38 and phospho-ERK1/2, flow cytometry for surface CD38, NADase activity assays, Fluo-4 AM calcium flux measurements, MTT/CCK-8 proliferation assays, Transwell migration/invasion assays, and RNA-seq transcriptomic profiling. It is also valuable for studying CD38-related drug resistance. Contact Ascent Research for further information.
