This product comprises a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population targeting the IGSF8 gene in human CAL-27 cells. The polyclonal format provides a heterogeneous pool of cells with targeted gene disruptions, avoiding clonal biases and enabling population-level functional analyses. This loss-of-function model is designed for robust knockout studies where cellular heterogeneity offers experimental advantages.
The host cell line, CAL-27, is an epithelial model derived from human tongue squamous cell carcinoma. It is widely used in head and neck cancer research, exhibiting aggressive features such as high invasive potential. CAL-27 cells endogenously express tetraspanins and integrins, providing a physiologically relevant background to study IGSF8-mediated adhesion and metastasis.
IGSF8 (EWI-2) organizes tetraspanin-enriched microdomains at the plasma membrane, directly interacting with CD81, CD9, and integrins ??4??1 and ??1. This complex modulates integrin clustering and downstream FAK/Src signaling, regulating cell adhesion and migration. Upstream, extracellular matrix components and CD81 ligation trigger IGSF8 activity, while activated integrins engage PI3K/AKT and cytoskeletal reorganization. IGSF8 also participates in immune checkpoint regulation via inhibitory receptors, thus bridging extracellular cues to intracellular networks controlling tumor cell behavior.
In CAL-27 squamous carcinoma cells, IGSF8 knockout disrupts tetraspanin-integrin complexes, impairing adhesion and migration. This may reduce metastatic potential by attenuating FAK/Src-dependent invasion and altering integrin activation profiles. Given IGSF8??s role in immune checkpoint modulation, its loss could modify immune evasion properties. This model enables dissection of tetraspanin-mediated malignancy in head and neck cancer.
Applications include Transwell migration and invasion assays, cell adhesion assays, flow cytometry for integrin ??4??1 activation, western blotting for FAK/Src phosphorylation, co-immunoprecipitation of tetraspanin complexes, and RNA-seq for downstream targets. It is suitable for cancer metastasis, tetraspanin biology, and tumor microenvironment studies. For technical inquiries, please contact Ascent Research.
