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Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Quantitative Measurement of Invadopodia-mediated Extracellular Matrix Proteolysis in Single and Multicellular Contexts
Published on: August 27, 2012
Ubiquitous membrane-bound DNase activity in podosomes and invadopodia
Kaushik Pal1, Yuanchang Zhao1, Yongliang Wang1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
Abstract:
Podosomes and invadopodia, collectively termed invadosomes, are adhesive and degradative membrane structures formed in many types of cells and are well known for recruiting various proteases. However, another major class of degradative enzymes, deoxyribonuclease (DNase), remains unconfirmed and not studied in invadosomes. Here, using surface-immobilized nuclease sensor (SNS), we demonstrated that invadosomes recruit DNase to their core regions, which degrade extracellular double-stranded DNA. We further identified the DNase as GPI-anchored membrane-bound DNase X. DNase recruitment is ubiquitous and consistent in invadosomes of all tested cell types. DNase activity exhibits within a minute after actin nucleation, functioning concomitantly with protease in podosomes but preceding it in invadopodia. We further showed that macrophages form DNase-active podosome rosettes surrounding bacteria or micropatterned antigen islets, and the podosomes directly degrade bacterial DNA on a surface, exhibiting an apparent immunological function. Overall, this work reports DNase in invadosomes for the first time, suggesting a richer arsenal of degradative enzymes in invadosomes than known before.
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