Effect of different agents onto multidrug resistant cells revealed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Abstract

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has been used to analyze the plasma membrane fluidity and heterogene- ity of multidrug resistant cells. At the single cell level, the effects of different membrane agents present in the extra-cellular medium have been explored. Firstly, we reveal a modification of plasma membrane heterogeneities according to the addition of a fluidity modulator, benzyl alcohol. On the other hand, revertants such as verapamil and cyclosporin-A appear to act more specifically on the slow diffusion sites, such as lipids microdomains.