The CERS5 Knockout Raji Polyclonal Cells constitute a heterogeneous population of Raji B lymphocytes in which the CERS5 gene has been disrupted by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, generating a loss-of-function model for ceramide synthase 5. This polyclonal knockout product is provided as a pool of edited cells, representing a versatile tool for studies where clonal selection is not required.
Raji cells are a human Burkitt’s lymphoma B cell line, originally established from an 11-year-old male, that exhibits lymphoblast morphology and maintains Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positivity. Widely employed in immunological and oncological research, this suspension cell line provides a biologically relevant context for studying B lymphocyte biology, including antibody production and antigen presentation, as well as malignant transformation and lymphoma progression.
CERS5 encodes ceramide synthase 5, which catalyzes N-acylation of sphinganine to dihydroceramide using C16:0 fatty acyl-CoA, a critical step in ceramide biosynthesis. The resulting C16-ceramide acts as a pro-apoptotic lipid mediator. CERS5 is regulated by TNF-??, p53, and p38 MAPK, and ceramide signals through PP2A, AKT, JNK, and cathepsin D. It interacts with CERS2, ORMDL3, and the serine palmitoyltransferase complex within the broader sphingolipid pathway involving sphinganine, sphingomyelin, and sphingosine-1-phosphate. Disruption of CERS5 abrogates C16-ceramide production, perturbing sphingolipid homeostasis and attenuating ceramide-driven apoptosis.
In the Raji cell context, CERS5 knockout has particular significance given the reliance of many B-cell malignancies on ceramide-mediated apoptosis. The loss of CERS5 function impairs the generation of pro-apoptotic C16-ceramide, potentially conferring a survival advantage and contributing to drug resistance phenotypes. This polyclonal model therefore enables the investigation of how defective ceramide synthesis alters lymphoma cell fate, providing insights into the molecular underpinnings of therapeutic resistance and the role of sphingolipid metabolism in malignant B-cell biology.
This knockout product is ideally suited for a range of downstream applications, including sphingolipid metabolic profiling, ceramide quantification via lipidomics, and functional studies of apoptosis using Annexin V/PI staining or cell viability assays. Researchers can employ assays such as Western blotting, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence to dissect the impact of CERS5 loss on signaling pathways and cellular phenotypes. The polyclonal nature allows population-level analyses that may better capture the heterogeneity of responses in lymphoma cell populations. For further information or to discuss custom options, please contact Ascent Research.
