Dresden 2026 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 7: Poster Session I
BP 7.34: Poster
Monday, March 9, 2026, 15:00–17:00, P5
Mechanistic Insights into PFAS Interactions with Biological Membranes — •Samuel Türken1, Doreen Biedenweg2, Janet Krüger1, Stefanie Spiegler2, Bob Fregin2, Wibke Busch1, and Oliver Otto2 — 1Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany — 2Institute of Physics - University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, highly persistent organic chemicals that accumulate in humans and the environment. PFAS exposure is associated with a range of adverse health and environmental effects, yet their mechanisms of action in human cells remain poorly understood. Molecular simulation studies show that PFAS integrate into phospholipid membranes and alter membrane fluidity in a structure-dependent manner.
To investigate how PFAS influence whole-cell mechanics, we used real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC), which provides single-cell, millisecond-scale measurements of deformation and cell elasticity, i.e., the Young's modulus. This approach captures the mechanical response of HL60 cells after 1 minute PFAS exposures, reducing the contribution of slower cellular adaptive processes. Complementing this, we quantified PFAS-induced changes in membrane order using a Laurdan-based assay. We found that PFAS exposure decreased cell deformability and increased cell stiffness, detectable even at environmentally relevant concentrations in a dose- and structure-dependent manner. Combined membrane-order and RT-DC results show that PFAS alter membrane physical state and thereby modulate whole-cell mechanics.
Keywords: PFAS; Cell Mechanics; Cell Membrane Order; Real-Time Deformability Cytometry; Molecular Toxicity Mechanism