This product is a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population targeting the ECI2 gene in the SK-HEP-1 human liver adenocarcinoma cell line. The ECI2 knockout model is generated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene disruption, resulting in a loss-of-function mutation across a heterogeneous pool of cells, enabling the study of ECI2-dependent metabolic functions without clonal selection.
SK-HEP-1 is a human liver adenocarcinoma cell line originally isolated from ascitic fluid of a patient with liver adenocarcinoma. These cells exhibit a mixed epithelial/endothelial phenotype, making them a unique model for studying both hepatocellular carcinoma and endothelial cell biology. The line is widely employed to dissect cancer metabolism, angiogenesis, and the interplay between epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics in tumor progression.
ECI2 encodes mitochondrial enoyl-CoA isomerase, which catalyzes isomerization of 3-cis- and 2-trans-enoyl-CoA esters for ??-oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Its expression is activated by PPAR?? and PGC-1??, while HNF4?? contributes to hepatic regulation. ECI2 collaborates with ACADs, ECHS1, and the HADHA/HADHB trifunctional protein to drive fatty acid degradation, yielding acetyl-CoA, NADH, FADH2, and ultimately ATP. This positions ECI2 as a critical node in mitochondrial energy metabolism and lipid homeostasis.
In SK-HEP-1 cells, ECI2 knockout impairs the degradation of unsaturated fatty acids, recapitulating features of fatty acid oxidation disorders and mitochondrial dysfunction. The mixed epithelial-endothelial nature of the host line makes this model particularly valuable for dissecting metabolic crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. Altered lipid metabolism in these knockout cells may reveal mechanisms of lipid-induced hepatotoxicity, metabolic reprogramming in liver cancer, and the contribution of fatty acid oxidation to endothelial cell function. Consequently, this model is relevant for studying conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic acidosis, and cancer-associated cachexia.
Researchers can employ these ECI2 knockout polyclonal cells in a variety of assays, including western blotting for protein expression verification, radiolabeled fatty acid oxidation assays (using oleate or palmitate), Seahorse metabolic flux analysis to measure oxygen consumption and ATP production, acylcarnitine profiling by LC-MS to assess fatty acid intermediates, and Oil Red O staining to visualize neutral lipid accumulation. These tools enable investigation of metabolic reprogramming, drug screening for fatty acid oxidation modulators, and functional studies of lipid handling in liver and endothelial biology. For further inquiries or to acquire this product, please contact Ascent Research.
