title: Validation of an algorithm to quantify changes in actin cytoskeletal organization.
abstract: The actin cytoskeleton plays an important role in most, if not all, processes necessary for cell survival. Given the fundamental role that the actin cytoskeleton plays in the progression of cancer, it is an ideal target for chemotherapy. Although it is possible to image the actin cytoskeleton in a high-throughput manner, there is currently no validated method to quantify changes in the cytoskeleton in the same capacity, which makes research into its organization and the development of anticytoskeletal drugs difficult. We have validated the use of a linear feature detection algorithm, allowing us to measure changes in actin filament organization. Its ability to quantify changes associated with cytoskeletal disruption will make it a valuable tool in the development of compounds that target the cytoskeleton in cancer. Our results show that this algorithm can quantify cytoskeletal changes in a cell-based system after addition of both well-established and novel anticytoskeletal agents using either fluorescence microscopy or a high-content imaging approach. This novel method gives us the potential to screen compounds in a high-throughput manner for cancer and other diseases in which the cytoskeleton plays a key role.
authors.affiliation: 1Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vindin
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gunning
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stehn
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000199:Actins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000465:Algorithms; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: actin; cytoskeleton; drug development; high throughput; image analysis