AFM sensing cortical actin cytoskeleton destabilization during plasma membrane electropermeabilization

Electropermeabilization is a physical method that uses electric field pulses to deliver molecules into cells and tissues. Despite its increasing interest in clinics, little is known about plasma membrane destabilization process occurring during electropermeabilization. Having previously demonstrated the usefulness of Atomic Force Microscopy to study electropermeabilization effect on plasma membrane, we further investigated the plasma membrane destabilization process. We got mainly interested in the cytoskeleton role in stiffness of the plasma membrane, and thus in the effect of electric field on the cortical actin network. We show here that cortical actin is destabilized by electric pulses and that this effect is not directly related to the electropermeabilization of the plasma membrane.