Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Thus, identifying the aberrant genes and proteins underlying disease pathogenesis is critical to improve early detection
Conclusions
This study determined that reduced EMI1 expression induces CIN and promotes cellular transformation, which is consistent with a role in early CRC development.
Methods
Coupling siRNA-based silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout clones with quantitative imaging microscopy we evaluated the impact reduced EMI1 expression has on CIN and cellular transformation in four colonic epithelial cell contexts.
Results
Quantitative imaging microscopy data revealed that reduced EMI1 expression induces increases in CIN phenotypes in both transient (siRNA) and constitutive (CRISPR/Cas9) cell models that are associated with increases in DNA damage and cellular transformation phenotypes in long-term studies. Conclusions: This study determined that reduced EMI1 expression induces CIN and promotes cellular transformation, which is consistent with a role in early CRC development.