p53-Luc/EF1α-mCherry Reporter Cell Line - SGC-7901

The p53-Luc/EF1α-mCherry reporter cell line (based on SGC-7901) is a stable dual-reporter cell line derived from the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901. It contains two stably integrated reporter cassettes: firefly luciferase, regulated by a p53-responsive promoter, and the fluorescent protein mCherry, driven by the constitutive EF1α promoter. Upon activation, p53 binds to the corresponding promoter elements, triggering the expression of luciferase; this generates a sensitive, quantifiable signal that reflects the transcriptional activity of p53. In contrast, mCherry is expressed constitutively, serving as a permanent fluorescent marker for the cell line. The cells retain the adherent growth characteristics and epithelial morphology of the parental SGC-7901 line.

Because the luciferase readout correlates directly with p53 activity, this cell line is highly suitable for screening and characterizing compounds that target the p53 pathway within the context of gastric cancer. It is frequently used to identify p53 agonists and reactivators—including MDM2 inhibitors (such as nutlin-3a), DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents, and small molecules designed to restore wild-type function to mutant p53. The quantitative bioluminescence signal facilitates dose-response testing and IC50 determination in 96-well or 384-well plate formats, making the line well-suited for high-throughput experimental workflows. Furthermore, the EF1α-driven mCherry serves as an internal reference: it can be used to normalize luciferase readings against variations in cell number, verify the integrity of the reporter system throughout an experiment, and enable cell tracking in applications such as live-cell imaging, flow cytometry, or xenograft models. By combining a pathway-specific readout with a constitutive fluorescent marker, this cell line can be used both for investigating mechanisms of action and for evaluating anti-tumor drugs based on the p53 pathway.