title: AFM-detected apoptotic changes in morphology and biophysical property caused by paclitaxel in Ishikawa and HeLa cells.
abstract: The apoptosis of cancer cells is associated with changes in the important cell properties including morphology, surface roughness and stiffness. Therefore, the changes in morphology and biophysical properties can be a good way of evaluating the anticancer activity of a drug. This study examined the effect of paclitaxel on the properties of Ishikawa and HeLa cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the relationship between the changes in morphology and the biophysical properties and apoptosis was discussed. The viability and proliferation of the cells were analyzed using the methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) method and a TUNEL assay to confirm cellular apoptosis due to a paclitaxel treatment. AFM observations clearly showed the apoptotic morphological and biophysical changes in Ishikawa and HeLa cells. After the paclitaxel treatment, the cell membrane was torn and holed, the surface roughness was increased, and the stiffness was decreased. These changes were observed more apparently after a 24 h treatment and in Ishikawa cells compared to HeLa cells. The MTT and TUNEL assays results revealed the Ishikawa cells to be more sensitive to paclitaxel than HeLa cells and definite apoptosis occurred after a 24 h treatment. These results showed good agreement with the AFM results. Therefore, research on the morphological and biophysical changes by AFM in cancer cells will help to evaluate the anticancer activities of the drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Eun Kuk
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Min-Hyung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kyung-Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hun-Kuk
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel