Membrane Repairing Capability of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Is Regulated by Drug Resistance and Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition

The plasma membrane separates the interior of the cells from the extracellular fluid and protects the cell from disruptive external factors. Therefore, the self-repairing capability of the membrane is crucial for cells to maintain homeostasis and survive in a hostile environment. Here, we found that micron-sized membrane pores induced by cylindrical atomic force microscope probe puncture resealed significantly (~1.3–1.5 times) faster in drug-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines than in their drug-sensitive counterparts. Interestingly, we found that such enhanced membrane repairing ability was due to the overexpression of annexin in drug-resistant NSCLC cells. In addition, a further ~50% reduction in membrane resealing time (i.e., from ~23 s to ~13 s) was observed through the epithelial-mesenchymal-transition, highlighting the superior viability and potential of highly aggressive tumor cells using membrane resealing as an indicator for assessing the drug-resistivity and pathological state of cancer.