An Optimized Stem Cell Secretome Proteomics Platform: Application to Progranulin-Deficient iPSCs

Abstract

Stem cells secrete diverse extracellular proteins that regulate pluripotency, differentiation, and cell-cell communication, making them powerful model systems for studying development, disease mechanisms, and regenerative medicine. However, robust stem cell secretome analysis remains technically challenging. Unlike many other cell types, stem cells cannot tolerate serum starvation or growth factor deprivation, while low-abundance secreted proteins are often masked by media-derived proteins and intracellular contamination. Here, we systematically optimized the secretome proteomics workflow in iPSCs, by evaluating culture medium composition, conditioned-media collection time, cell plating density, media harvest and preparation methods, LC-MS acquisition methods, and data analysis strategies. Full-strength Essential 8 medium, 48 h media collection, 80% cell confluency, two-step centrifugation, and data-independent acquisition (DIA)-LC-MS/MS provided the optimal secretome proteomics data quality. We then applied the optimized platform to an isogenic iPSC disease model to investigate how progranulin deficiency reshapes the extracellular and intracellular proteomes. Progranulin-deficient iPSCs showed a coordinated reduction of extracellular lysosomal hydrolases despite relatively modest intracellular proteome changes, suggesting altered lysosome trafficking and possible impairment of lysosomal exocytosis. Together, this work establishes a robust and standardized workflow for stem cell secretome proteomics and demonstrates its utility for investigating extracellular proteome remodeling in human disease models.