The MPDZ Knockout Raji Polyclonal Cells constitute a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population derived from the Raji B lymphoblastoid cell line, engineered for the disruption of the MPDZ gene. This loss-of-function model enables systematic investigation of MPDZ-dependent processes without fixed clonal selection, preserving functional diversity within the knockout pool.
Raji is an EBV-positive Burkitt lymphoma-derived human B lymphocyte cell line widely used in immunology and oncology research. These cells exhibit characteristics of mature B cells, including robust antibody production and antigen presentation capabilities, and are extensively employed for studies of B cell signaling, lymphomagenesis, and immune response modulation.
MPDZ (MUPP1) is a multi-PDZ domain scaffold protein that localizes to tight junctions and organizes signaling complexes, critically regulating cell polarity, proliferation, and adhesion. It functions by scaffolding components of the Hippo pathway, including MST1, LATS1, and YAP/TAZ, and by modulating Rho GTPase signaling through interactions with RhoA, c-Src, and the Scribble complex. Upstream signals such as PKA phosphorylation and Wnt ligands, mediated by transmembrane proteins like claudin-1 and JAM-A, converge on MPDZ to control downstream transcriptional programs and cytoskeletal dynamics. MPDZ further interacts with key adaptors and effectors including PLEKHA7, Angiomotin, PTEN, and MAGI2, integrating multiple pathways that govern cellular architecture and growth control.
In the Raji B lymphoblastoid model, MPDZ disruption provides a valuable system to study the role of tight junction-associated scaffolds in hematopoietic cells, where their functions extend beyond classical epithelial junctions to influence lymphocyte adhesion, polarity, and signaling pathways relevant to malignancy. Given the links between MPDZ and Burkitt lymphoma as well as other cancers, this knockout model is particularly suited for dissecting its contributions to B cell proliferation, survival, and transformation, potentially revealing new aspects of Hippo pathway regulation in lymphomas.
Researchers can employ this polyclonal knockout cell population for a range of targeted studies, including Western blot analysis of MPDZ and its downstream effectors, immunofluorescence localization of tight junction proteins, flow cytometric assessment of adhesion markers, RhoA activation assays, and YAP/TAZ phosphorylation and localization analyses. Functional assays such as cell proliferation and migration, coupled with transcriptomic approaches like RNA-seq, enable comprehensive dissection of MPDZ-dependent networks in B cell biology and lymphoma pathogenesis. For further technical details on the MPDZ Knockout Raji Polyclonal Cells, please contact Ascent Research.
