Phenotypic profiling of small molecules using cell painting assay in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how small molecules affect cellular morphology is essential for exploring their mechanisms of action (MoA) and identifying new therapeutic candidates. In this study, the Cell Painting Assay (CPA) was used to profile 196 small molecules in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. By applying t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) followed by density-based clustering, 18 distinct phenotypic clusters were identified based on similarities in the quantitative morphological profiles generated from Cell Painting data. Although it was initially hypothesized that clustering would reflect known MoAs, most clusters showed only partial overlap with target-based classifications. Instead, compounds from different MoA classes converged on similar cellular phenotypes, suggesting common d

SUBMITTER: Lavrinenko V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12571279 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature