Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin

Abstract Understanding mechanisms of cancer cell death and the resulting effect on disease progression is crucial in cancer biology and the insight will likely offer better options for therapeutic treatment. Nuclear expulsion occurs in apoptotic cancer cells in a peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (Padi4)...

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Main Authors: Justin M. Gray, Woo Yong Park, Ronald J. Holewinski, Thorkell Andresson, Carmelo Carmona-Rivera, Mariana J. Kaplan, Li Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11807-z
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author Justin M. Gray
Woo Yong Park
Ronald J. Holewinski
Thorkell Andresson
Carmelo Carmona-Rivera
Mariana J. Kaplan
Li Yang
author_facet Justin M. Gray
Woo Yong Park
Ronald J. Holewinski
Thorkell Andresson
Carmelo Carmona-Rivera
Mariana J. Kaplan
Li Yang
author_sort Justin M. Gray
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Understanding mechanisms of cancer cell death and the resulting effect on disease progression is crucial in cancer biology and the insight will likely offer better options for therapeutic treatment. Nuclear expulsion occurs in apoptotic cancer cells in a peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (Padi4) dependent manner. The resulting tumor cell nuclear expulsion product (TuNEP) promotes the outgrowth of neighboring cancer cells through chromatin-bound protein complexes. It is not clear what the protein compositions and functionalities are in these TuNEPs. In this study, we performed extensive proteomic profiling and identified key TuNEP protein components from mouse and human breast cancer cells as well as human lung cancer cells (4T1, MDA-MB-231, and PC9). We further compared TuNEP- specific proteins with those from apoptotic bodies or NETs from neutrophils. We found an enrichment of cellular adhesion molecules as well as increased citrullination of proteins associated with RNA binding. We showed that cellular adhesion molecules integrin and basigin (BSG) promote the growth of tumor spheroids. Our work revealed the unique TuNEP protein components distinct from neutrophil-derived NETs and shed light on potential mechanisms by which these cancer cell-derived TuNEPs promote tumor progression.
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spelling doaj-art-9121c1d45b0345cfb49febedf3d1d2f32025-08-20T03:45:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-11807-zProteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatinJustin M. Gray0Woo Yong Park1Ronald J. Holewinski2Thorkell Andresson3Carmelo Carmona-Rivera4Mariana J. Kaplan5Li Yang6Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthLaboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthProtein Mass Spectrometry Group, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthProtein Mass Spectrometry Group, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthSystemic Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of HealthSystemic Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of HealthLaboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthAbstract Understanding mechanisms of cancer cell death and the resulting effect on disease progression is crucial in cancer biology and the insight will likely offer better options for therapeutic treatment. Nuclear expulsion occurs in apoptotic cancer cells in a peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (Padi4) dependent manner. The resulting tumor cell nuclear expulsion product (TuNEP) promotes the outgrowth of neighboring cancer cells through chromatin-bound protein complexes. It is not clear what the protein compositions and functionalities are in these TuNEPs. In this study, we performed extensive proteomic profiling and identified key TuNEP protein components from mouse and human breast cancer cells as well as human lung cancer cells (4T1, MDA-MB-231, and PC9). We further compared TuNEP- specific proteins with those from apoptotic bodies or NETs from neutrophils. We found an enrichment of cellular adhesion molecules as well as increased citrullination of proteins associated with RNA binding. We showed that cellular adhesion molecules integrin and basigin (BSG) promote the growth of tumor spheroids. Our work revealed the unique TuNEP protein components distinct from neutrophil-derived NETs and shed light on potential mechanisms by which these cancer cell-derived TuNEPs promote tumor progression.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11807-zCancerApoptosisChromatinProteomicsNuclear expulsion
spellingShingle Justin M. Gray
Woo Yong Park
Ronald J. Holewinski
Thorkell Andresson
Carmelo Carmona-Rivera
Mariana J. Kaplan
Li Yang
Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
Scientific Reports
Cancer
Apoptosis
Chromatin
Proteomics
Nuclear expulsion
title Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
title_full Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
title_fullStr Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
title_full_unstemmed Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
title_short Proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and RNA binding programs in extracellular chromatin
title_sort proteomic analysis of tumor cell nuclear expulsion reveals significant cell adhesion and rna binding programs in extracellular chromatin
topic Cancer
Apoptosis
Chromatin
Proteomics
Nuclear expulsion
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11807-z
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