The CD44 Knockout AGS Polyclonal Cells product is a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population generated from the AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line, designed to disrupt CD44 gene expression. This heterogeneous pool provides a robust and cost-effective loss-of-function model for investigating CD44-dependent mechanisms without the need for clonal isolation, capturing a broad spectrum of gene disruptions for population-level functional studies.
The AGS cell line is a well-characterized epithelial model derived from a human gastric adenocarcinoma, widely employed to dissect gastric cancer biology, metastasis, and therapeutic response. These cells retain key characteristics of gastric tumor epithelium, including responsiveness to growth factors such as EGF and TGF-??, and support reproducible genetic manipulation. The combination of AGS background with CD44 knockout enables precise analysis of signaling networks driving gastric adenocarcinoma progression.
CD44 encodes a transmembrane glycoprotein that serves as the primary receptor for hyaluronic acid, mediating cell?Cmatrix adhesion and directing migration. Its transcription is activated by NF-??B, AP-1, and ??-catenin, while post-transcriptional regulation occurs via miR-34a. Ligand engagement recruits ERM proteins and triggers phosphorylation of Src and FAK, leading to downstream activation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK cascades. These pathways promote ??-catenin stabilization and upregulate matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor invasion. CD44 also interacts with EGFR and c-Met to amplify pro-migratory and proliferative signals.
In the AGS context, CD44 disruption attenuates hyaluronic acid-induced PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling, reducing migratory and invasive capacity. This model is instrumental for examining CD44??s role in cancer stem cell maintenance and its contribution to drug resistance. By interrogating interplay with upstream regulators TNF-?? and EGF, researchers can dissect context-dependent signaling and identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Typical applications include wound healing and transwell migration/invasion assays to quantify cell motility, sphere formation assays to evaluate stemness, and western blotting or immunofluorescence to assess pathway alterations. Flow cytometry enables profiling of CD44 surface expression, while MTT assays measure changes in drug sensitivity. The polyclonal format is also suited for high-content screening and pooled functional genomics. For technical support, validation data, or experimental design guidance, please contact Ascent Research.
