Relationship of light scatter change and Cdc42-regulated actin status.

Background: Cdc42 GTPase has important roles in regulating intracellular actin reorganization. The current methods to monitor actin changes are typically complex and point by point.

Methods: The effects of Cdc42 inhibitors on the side scatter changes were tested in a newly developed continuous assay using the flow cytometer. Staining with fluorescently labeled phalloidin was used for comparison.

Results: Cdc42-specific inhibitors caused dose-dependent changes of both the right-angle side scatter and the phalloidin-stained actin.

Conclusions: The right-angle light scatter change can be used as a method to circumvent phalloidin staining and be an early convenient step in screening Cdc42 inhibitors. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society.