ELAVL2 Knockout A2780 Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population derived from the human ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780. This loss-of-function model disrupts the gene encoding ELAVL2, an RNA-binding protein. The polyclonal format consists of a heterogeneous pool of knockout cells, providing a robust system for studying gene function without clonal bias. Gene disruption was achieved via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeting, yielding a population suitable for downstream molecular and cellular analyses.
The A2780 cell line is an epithelial ovarian carcinoma model established from an untreated patient tumor. These cells serve as a widely used system for investigating ovarian tumorigenesis, including cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The parental A2780 line retains key characteristics of ovarian cancer, making it a relevant host for knockout studies aimed at elucidating gene functions in cancer biology. The epithelial nature of A2780 cells provides a controlled background for examining post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.
ELAVL2 (ELAV-like RNA-binding protein 2) is an RNA-binding protein that selectively binds AU-rich elements in 3?? untranslated regions, stabilizing and modulating translation of target mRNAs. In neurons, its expression is controlled by transcription factors NEUROD1 and ASCL1, neurotrophin BDNF signaling, and the repressor REST/NRSF. ELAVL2 interacts with HNRNPs and splicing factors in ribonucleoprotein complexes. Its downstream mRNA targets include GAP43, MAPT, NEFL, and MBP. Through these interactions, ELAVL2 regulates neuronal differentiation and survival. Disruption of ELAVL2 in A2780 cells decouples this network from neural context, enabling investigation of broader RNA-processing roles.
Although ELAVL2 is predominantly characterized in neurobiology, its knockout in A2780 ovarian cancer cells presents a unique model to investigate its role in non-neuronal post-transcriptional regulation. The loss of ELAVL2 may alter the stability and translation of ARE-containing mRNAs that impact cancer-related processes, including those involved in cell-cycle progression, apoptosis, and metastasis. This knockout model allows researchers to dissect ELAVL2-dependent RNA regulons in an epithelial tumor background, potentially uncovering novel targets and pathways that contribute to ovarian cancer pathology. Moreover, the polyclonal population mitigates concerns of clonal adaptation, providing a physiologically more representative loss-of-function system.
Typical applications include differential gene expression profiling by RNA-seq, identification of ELAVL2 mRNA targets via RIP-seq, mRNA stability assays using polysome profiling, and validation of downstream effectors by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Functional assays such as cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis can link ELAVL2-mediated RNA regulation to cancer phenotypes. Additional uses include immunofluorescence and post-transcriptional network analysis. These cells provide a versatile platform for studying RNA-binding protein biology in cancer. For additional information, please contact Ascent Research.
