In vivo CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screening using quantitative PCR identifies thymosin beta-4 X-linked that promotes diffuse-type gastric cancer metastasis

An HW, Kim SY, Kwon JW, Seok SH, Woo SH, Kim DY, Park JW · Molecular Carcinogenesis

Tmsb4x came out of an unbiased in-vivo screen as one of five genes promoting liver metastasis, and separately enhanced tumour growth, clonogenicity and anoikis resistance — an independent, hypothesis-free line of evidence rather than a targeted Tβ4 study.

Population

Syngeneic immunocompetent mice transplanted with pooled-knockout diffuse-type gastric cancer cells

Intervention

CRISPR knockout screen across 30 candidate genes

Comparator

Non-targeted clones in the same pool

Limitations

Loss-of-function screen: it shows tumour cells need Tmsb4x to metastasise, not that adding Tβ4 to a healthy animal creates tumours.