Nanoscale quantification of the biophysical characterization of combretastatin A-4-treated tumor cells using atomic force microscopy.

ABSTRACT: As an inhibitor of microtubule assembly, combretastatin A-4 (CA-4)-induced biological responses in tumor cells have been well known, but the corresponding changes in nano-biophysical properties were not investigated given the lack of an ideal tool. Using AFM technique, we investigated the alteration of nano-biophysical properties when CA-4-treated tumor cells underwent the different biological processes, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy. We found that CA-4-resistant cells were rougher with the presence of characteristic "ridges", indicating that the development of "ridge" structure may be a determinant of the sensitivity of cells to CA-4 compounds. CA-4 induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in sensitive cells but triggered anti-apoptotic autophagy in resistant cells. CA-4 t

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5476243 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature