The EXOC6 Knockout Hep-G2 Cell Line is a CRISPR/Cas9-edited human liver cancer cell line in which the EXOC6 gene has been disrupted to create a loss-of-function model. This cell line is derived from the Hep-G2 host cell background and is provided as a ready-to-use knockout cell line for advanced research applications. The targeted disruption of EXOC6 allows for the investigation of exocyst complex function and its role in polarized secretion and cell polarity.
The Hep-G2 cell line was originally isolated from a hepatocellular carcinoma of a 15-year-old Caucasian male and serves as a well-characterized epithelial model for metabolic and toxicology studies. Hep-G2 cells retain many liver-specific functions, including the secretion of plasma proteins and metabolic enzymes, making them a relevant system for studying hepatic exocytosis pathways. The epithelial nature and cancerous origin of these cells also render them suitable for investigations into tumor cell migration and invasion.
EXOC6 encodes a subunit of the evolutionarily conserved exocyst complex, which mediates the tethering of post-Golgi secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane, a critical step for exocytosis and cell polarity establishment. EXOC6 functions downstream of Ral GTPases, Rab11, and PIP2, and interacts with exocyst subunits (EXOC1-EXOC8), RalA, Rab proteins, and the Arp2/3 complex. The exocyst complex, including EXOC6, Sec3, Sec8, and Exo70, facilitates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion, enabling directional secretion of cargos like insulin. Disruption of EXOC6 impairs vesicle docking and fusion, leading to defective polarized secretion and loss of cell polarity, affecting neurite outgrowth and cell migration.
In the Hep-G2 hepatocellular carcinoma background, knockout of EXOC6 provides a powerful tool to dissect the role of the exocyst complex in liver cell biology and cancer progression. Given that Hep-G2 cells are capable of secreting hepatocyte-specific proteins and responding to metabolic cues, this knockout line enables the study of how exocyst-mediated trafficking contributes to hepatic secretory function. Moreover, because cell polarity and directed migration are crucial for cancer metastasis, the EXOC6 knockout Hep-G2 model is particularly suited for examining the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor cell invasion. The connection between EXOC6 and insulin secretion also offers a platform to investigate links between exocyst function and metabolic dysregulation, even in a non-pancreatic cell context.
This knockout cell line facilitates a wide range of experimental applications, including the analysis of exocytosis mechanisms via secretion assays and immunofluorescence-based visualization of vesicle trafficking. Researchers can employ Western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation to assess exocyst complex assembly and protein-protein interactions. Cell migration and invasion assays using this line can reveal the impact of EXOC6 loss on cancer cell motility, while drug discovery efforts targeting secretion-related disorders can utilize the line for phenotypic screening. For further technical information, scientific support, or to discuss custom requirements, please contact Ascent Research.
