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Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Direct Gene Knock-out of Axolotl Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cells via Electroporation of CAS9 Protein-gRNA Complexes
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Direct Gene Knock-out of Axolotl Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cells via Electroporation of CAS9 Protein-gRNA Complexes

Published on: July 9, 2019

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Expression and Therapeutic Potential of SOX9 in Chordoma

Hua Chen1,2, Cassandra C Garbutt1, Dimitrios Spentzos1

  • 1Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
|June 14, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Targeting sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (SOX9) inhibits chordoma cell growth and motility. Combining SOX9 inhibition with chemotherapy enhances anti-cancer effects, offering a new therapeutic strategy for chordoma treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Genetics

Background:

  • Chordoma is a rare bone tumor resistant to conventional chemotherapy.
  • The role of sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (SOX9) in chordoma pathogenesis is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional significance and therapeutic potential of SOX9 in chordoma.
  • To evaluate SOX9 as a therapeutic target for chordoma.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 50 chordoma samples.
  • Western blot and immunofluorescence assays for SOX9 expression.
  • RNA interference (RNAi) using SOX9 siRNA to inhibit SOX9.
  • Cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, motility, invasion, apoptosis, and cell-cycle assays.
  • Combination therapy with SOX9 inhibition and chemotherapy (doxorubicin/cisplatin).

Main Results:

  • SOX9 is broadly expressed in chordoma tissues, with higher levels correlating with poor prognosis.
  • SOX9 knockdown inhibited chordoma cell proliferation, motility, and invasion.
  • SOX9 inhibition induced apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest, decreasing cancer stem cell markers.
  • Combined SOX9 inhibition and chemotherapy demonstrated enhanced anti-cancer effects.

Conclusions:

  • SOX9 is a critical factor in chordoma development and progression.
  • Targeting SOX9 represents a promising therapeutic strategy for chordoma.
  • Combination therapy involving SOX9 inhibition may improve treatment outcomes for chordoma patients.

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