SLC1A5, also known as solute carrier family 1 member 5, is a noteworthy gene that encodes a protein that is primarily responsible for the transport of neutral amino acids across the cell membrane. This protein is also known as ASCT2 (alanine, serine, cysteine-preferring transporter 2). Its major substrates include glutamine, serine, and alanine, of which glutamine is particularly important as it functions as the primary nitrogen donor in the biosynthesis of nucleotides and other amino acids. In this context, SLC1A5 facilitates the uptake of extracellular glutamine, which can then be used to support anabolic processes within the cell.
Research has found that SLC1A5 is closely associated with various physiological and pathological processes. For example, in cancer biology, upregulation of SLC1A5 has been observed in multiple types of tumors, including breast and colorectal cancer. The increased activity of this transporter in cancer cells is thought to meet the higher demand for glutamine, thereby supporting rapid cell growth and proliferation. Therefore, SLC1A5 is being investigated as a potential therapeutic target in oncology, with the goal of disrupting the glutamine supply to malignant cells.
Alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2, SLC1A5) is the major transporter of glutamine in cancer cells. In this study, researchers developed a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes the extracellular domain of human ASCT2 and investigated whether ASCT2 could be a therapeutic target for KRAS mutant cancers. Rats were immunized with RH7777 rat hepatoma cells expressing human ASCT2 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). Splenocytes from immunized rats were fused with P3X63Ag8.653 mouse myeloma cells, and hybridoma cells secreting Ab3-8 mAb were established for screening and cloning. The mAb reacted with RH7777 transfectants expressing ASCT2-GFP protein in a GFP intensity-dependent manner. Ab3-8 reacted with various human cancer cells but not with noncancerous mammary epithelial cells or ASCT2 knockout HEK293 and SW1116 cells. In SW1116 and HCT116 human colon cancer cells with KRAS mutations, treatment with Ab3-8 reduced intracellular glutamine transport, phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, and inhibited tumor growth of these cells in athymic mice. Ab3-8 inhibition of in vivo tumor growth was not observed in HT29 colon and HeLa uterine cancer cells with wild-type KRAS. These results suggest that ASCT2 is an excellent therapeutic target for KRAS mutant cancers.
Ab3-8 did not react with ASCT2 (SLC1A5) Knockout Cell Line-HEK293 (ASCT2-KO-HEK293) and SW1116 cells (Figure 1E). In addition, Ab3-8 reacted with various human cancer cells but was weakly reactive with non-cancerous cells (Figure 1F). Among these cell lines, SW1116, HCT116, DLD-1, and HCT15 cells contained KRAS mutations, while the other cell lines had wild-type KRAS.
Figure 1. E, ASCT2-KO HEK293 and SW1116 cells were reacted with Ab3-8 and subsequently with PE-conjugated anti-rat IgG. The reactivity of Ab3-8 with these cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. F, FCM analysis of cell surface expression of ASCT2 protein in various human cell lines. (Hara, Yuta, et al. 2020)
The SLC1A5 gene encodes a glutamine transporter that is essential for a variety of cellular processes, including amino acid transport, nutrient signaling, and metabolic regulation. Knocking out the SLC1A5 gene in HEK293 cells can provide valuable insights into its biological functions. Here are a few key applications:
Metabolic pathway studies: The SLC1A5 transporter plays an important role in amino acid transport, especially glutamine. By knocking out SLC1A5 in HEK293 cells, researchers can study how cells adjust their metabolic pathways in the absence of this transporter.
Cancer metabolism studies: Many cancer cells exhibit metabolic alterations and are heavily dependent on glutamine for growth and survival—a phenomenon known as glutamine addiction. SLC1A5 KO cell lines can be used to study the mechanisms of tumor cell dependence on glutamine and identify potential therapeutic targets for disrupting glutamine uptake in cancer treatment.
Drug screening: The absence of the SLC1A5 transporter can provide a unique platform for screening drugs designed to inhibit related metabolic pathways or other compensatory glutamine transporters. This may aid in the development of new treatments for diseases where glutamine metabolism is dysregulated, such as cancer or metabolic disorders.
Signal transduction studies: Amino acids such as glutamine are critical for various signaling pathways, including mTOR signaling. Using SLC1A5 KO HEK293 cells, researchers can analyze the effects of impaired amino acid transport on cellular signaling pathways, helping to elucidate the relationship between nutrient availability and signaling networks.
Cell growth and proliferation studies: Understanding how SLC1A5 knockout affects cell growth and proliferation can provide insights into the biological importance of this transporter. Researchers can study how cells compensate for the loss of this critical nutrient transporter and discover alternative pathways that support cell survival.
Functional genomics and proteomics: SLC1A5 KO cell lines allow for the study of global gene and protein expression changes resulting from transporter knockout. This integrated approach can identify new genes and proteins involved in amino acid transport and metabolism, broadening our understanding of cellular homeostasis and adaptation mechanisms.
Customer Q&As
What is the recommended growth medium? Does it require antibiotic selection?
A: DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum.
It is not required to add the selection antibiotics when culturing the KO cells.
How is the knockout cell line validated?
A: The knockout cell product is validated by PCR amplification and Sanger Sequencing to confirm the mutation at the genomic level. Please find the detailed mutation info in the datasheet.
Is the product a single clonal cell or mixed cell pool?
A: Single clonal cell.
Can I confirm gene knockout by RT-qPCR?
A: No. This knockout cell product is generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to induce small insertions or deletions (indels) resulting in frameshift mutations. Although these frameshift mutations typically disrupt the coding gene, there is a possibility that the non-functional transcript may still be transcribed. Consequently, this could potentially yield misleading results when analyzed by RT-qPCR.
How can I store the cell product?
A: The cell line should be stored in liquid nitrogen for long-term preservation.
Is it possible to get multiple knockout clones for my GOI?
A: For most cases, we often keep at least 2 clones with different frameshift mutations. Please feel free to contact us to check if there are additional available clones.
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Customer Reviews
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We are studying the effects of SLC1A5 knockout on cancer cell growth and proliferation. This cell line is very helpful for our research.
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