Research Articles:
Cell Stress, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 182 - 193; doi: 10.15698/cst2025.08.310
Oxidative stress induces cortical stiffening and cytoskeletal remodelling in pre-apoptotic cancer cells
1 Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan. 2 Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan. 3 National Laboratory Astana, Center for Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.
Keywords: oxidative stress, cortical stiffness, atomic force microscopy, F-actin, arsenic trioxide and D form of vitamin C, cancer migration.
Received originally: 07/10/2024 Received in revised form: 15/06/2025
Accepted: 30/06/2025
Published: 07/08/2025
Correspondence:
Agata N Burska, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, 5/1 Kerey and Zhanibek Khans Street, NU Medicine building office 322, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan; Of-fice phone: +7 7172 69 6469; agata.burska@nu.edu.kz
Dos D Sarbassov, Biology Department, School of Sciences and Humanities, Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000 Kazakhstan; Office phone: +7 (7172) 70-58-73; dos.sarbassov@nu.edu.kz
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no competing interests.
Please cite this article as: Aiman Jalmukhambetova, Aidana Baltabekova, Aizhan Tolebay, Nargiz Rakhimgerey, Ferdinand Molnár, Tri Thanh Pham, Agata N. Burska and Dos D. Sarbassov (2025). Oxidative stress induces cortical stiffening and cytoskeletal remodelling in pre-apoptotic cancer cells. Cell Stress 9: 182-193. doi: 10.15698/cst2025.08.310
Abstract
An imbalanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked to various aspects of cancer development, including cytoskeletal remodelling. However, the relationship between ROS, actin and cellular stiffness remains controversial. Here, we show that oxidative stress increases cortical stiffness in pre-apoptotic colon and pancreatic cancer cells via localized F-actin polymerization in the apical cortex — independent of changes in total F-actin levels. Using atomic force microscopy and flow cytometry, we demonstrate this effect across multiple ROS inducers: the combination of arsenic trioxide and D-enantiomer of vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide, and rotenone. These findings explain previously debated relationships on how ROS influence actin organization, which may affect cellular stiffness. By separating total from cortical actin effects, our study reveals a redox-sensitive mechanism that governs cytoskeletal remodelling and may impair cancer cell migration.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research has been funded by the grants AP19680082, BR24992841, and BR24993023 (the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan), 20122022FD4129 and 021220CRP1522 to DDS and 091019CRP2108 to FM (Nazarbayev University). We thank Faisal Nazir- a research assistant, MSc. For provid-ing basic AFM instructions, and for sharing his expertise in AFM measurements and data processing.
COPYRIGHT
© 2025
Oxidative stress induces cortical stiffening and cytoskeletal remodelling in pre-apoptotic cancer cells by Jalmukhambetova et al. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
