Rcor2 Knockout RAW 264.7 Cell Line

The Rcor2 Knockout RAW 264.7 Cell Line is a CRISPR/Cas9-edited murine macrophage cell line with targeted disruption of the Rcor2 gene. It provides a stable loss-of-function model to dissect Rcor2-dependent transcriptional regulation in an immune cell background.

The parental RAW 264.7 cell line is an Abelson murine leukemia virus-transformed macrophage-like line derived from BALB/c mice. These cells display key macrophage characteristics, including robust phagocytic activity, cytokine secretion (e.g., TNF-??, IL-6), and antigen-presenting capabilities, and they respond to TLR ligands, making them a standard model for investigating innate immunity, inflammation, and host-pathogen interactions.

Rcor2 is a transcriptional corepressor that functions as a key constituent of the CoREST complex. Together with the histone demethylase LSD1 (KDM1A), histone deacetylases HDAC1 and HDAC2, and the transcription factor REST, Rcor2 mediates gene silencing at RE1 sites. REST recruits the complex to neuronal gene promoters, where LSD1 removes activating H3K4 methylation and HDACs catalyze histone deacetylation, resulting in chromatin condensation and repression of target genes including BDNF, SYN1, and CHRM4. Rcor2 also interacts with RCOR1 and PHF21A to coordinate long-range chromatin remodeling. While this mechanism is best known for restricting neuronal gene expression in non-neuronal cells, CoREST components are present in macrophages, suggesting additional regulatory roles.

In macrophages, Rcor2 may regulate gene programs that intersect immune defense and neuroimmune communication. The CoREST complex could influence cytokine production and phagocytic clearance in response to neural insults or developmental cues. By disrupting Rcor2, this knockout model allows dissection of how REST-mediated repression modulates macrophage activation and whether dysregulation contributes to neurodevelopmental pathologies. It provides a unique platform to study the interplay between the immune system and the nervous system in disorders such as neural tube defects.

This Rcor2 knockout cell line supports diverse experimental techniques, including RNA-seq for transcriptomic profiling, ChIP-qPCR for chromatin occupancy studies, Western blotting and RT-qPCR for gene expression validation, and functional assays such as phagocytosis assays, cytokine ELISA, and immunofluorescence microscopy. It is well-suited for investigating transcriptional regulation, CoREST complex biology, and neuroimmune interactions. For additional information, pricing, or technical support, please contact Ascent Research.