ArticleCell2026
Genome instability triggers intercellular DNA transfer between human cells.
Article in Cell, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Hormesis as a universal cellular strategy for growth.Archives of toxicology · 2026Review
- Genome instability goes mobile: damaged DNA transfer between human cells.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Article
- The shared evolutionary capacities of plasmids and extrachromosomal DNA.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2026Review
- From Association to Causation: Advancing the Biliary Multi-Omics Paradigm in Gallbladder Carcinogenesis: A Response.Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology · 2026Article
- Seeing Is Believing: Intercellular Transfer of DNA between Human Cells.Cancer research · 2026Article
- DNA voyages through intercellular tunnels.Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The mammalian genome is safeguarded within the confines of the interphase nucleus. However, genomic instability can trigger the mislocalization of nuclear DNA to the cytoplasm within micronuclei or as fragmented chromosomes. Beyond activating cell-autonomous signaling programs, whether such cytoplasmic DNA can elicit non-cell-autonomous consequences to nearby cells remains unclear. Here, we show that cytoplasmic DNAs undergo intercellular transfer through contact-dependent, cytoskeleton-based nanotube structures connecting adjacent human cells. Diverse sources of genomic instability-including exposure to mitotic spindle poisons, ionizing radiation, and Cas9-induced chromosome breakage-promote nanotube-mediated DNA transfer in both cancerous and non-cancerous cells. Transferred DNA fragments are stably inherited as functional extrachromosomal genetic elements in the recipient host genome, thereby conferring heritable phenotypic traits to the recipient cell. Our findings uncover a horizontal gene transfer-like mechanism through which direct cell-cell contact can propagate genomic instability and reshape mammalian genomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.