Mechanisms of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (NsPEF)-Induced Cell Death in Cells and Tumors

Incorporation of electroendocytosis and nanosecond pulsed electric field in electrochemotherapy of breast cancer cells

The study aimed to evaluate the possibility to perform electrochemotherapy using nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) and low electric field (LEF) monopolar electrical impulses to alleviate the problems of conventional electroporation. Two types of pulses have been used to treat MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell line: very low voltage (electric field strength) long trains of short unipolar electric pulses, and low frequencies of extremely intense (40kV/cm), ultra-short (10ns) electric pulses. The electropermeabilization efficiency of the formed endocytotic vesicles was measured using the cloning efficacy test. The cell viability was decreased significantly at a repetition frequency begins from 0.01 Hz by ~35% and reached complete cell loss at 1 Hz of nanosecond pulses for cells treated before with monopolar pulses at 20 V/cm in the presence of BLM with 4 µM concentration. The uptake of non-permeant drugs has been done without plasma membrane permeabilization (classical electroporation), but by endocytosis. Nanosecond electric pulses can disrupt the membrane of endocytotic vesicles and release the cytotoxic drug bleomycin.

The First Application of Nanoelectrochemotherapy in Feline Oral Malignant Melanoma Treatment-Case Study

Simple Summary

The current study concerns feline melanoma of the oral cavity, which is rather rarely diagnosed but is usually correlated with poor prognosis. Here we proposed a new treatment modality using CO₂ laser surgery with pulsed electric fields with ultra-short pulses in combination with bleomycin. The applied nanoelectrochemotherapy resulted in positive response and satisfactory animal recovery. Thus, nanosecond electroporation seems a reasonable anticancer approach in domestic animals.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to present the first domestic animal trial of nanosecond electroporation with chemotherapy and CO₂ laser surgery. Methods: sixteen-year-old domestic cat with diagnosed melanoma on oral cavity was the case used in the study. Firstly, CO₂ laser surgery was used for the removal of most of tumor mass. Then nanoelectrochemotherapy with bleomycin was applied including appropriate margin of healthy tissue. A 15 ± 4 kV/cm × 15 ns pulsing protocol was employed with a total of 800 ± 100 pulses. Only one session of nanoelectrochemotherapy (nanoECT) was performed. Results and conclusions: during the next two weeks areas of focal necrosis were replaced by the granulation tissue. Complete wound healing was observed four weeks after initial treatment. After 15 weeks post treatment, no local recurrence was apparent.

Validation of a SPICE Model for High Frequency Electroporation Systems

In this paper, we present an analysis and a validation of a simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) model for a pulse forming circuit of a high frequency electroporation system, which can deliver square-wave sub-microsecond (100–900 ns) electric field pulses. The developed SPICE model is suggested for use in evaluation of transient processes that occur due to high frequency operations in prototype systems. A controlled crowbar circuit was implemented to support a variety of biological loads and to ensure a constant electric pulse rise and fall time during electroporation to be independent of the applied buffer bioimpedance. The SPICE model was validated via a comparison of the simulation and experimental results obtained from the already existing prototype system. The SPICE model results were in good agreement with the experimental results, and the model complexity was found to be sufficient for analysis of transient processes. As result, the proposed SPICE model can be useful for evaluation and compensation of transient processes in sub-microsecond pulsed power set-ups during the development of new prototypes.

Rat liver regeneration following ablation with irreversible electroporation

During the past decade, irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation has emerged as a promising tool for the treatment of multiple diseases including hepatic cancer. However, the mechanisms behind the tissue regeneration following IRE ablation have not been investigated. Our results indicate that IRE treatment immediately kills the cells at the treatment site preserving the extracellular architecture, in effect causing in vivo decellularization. Over the course of 4 weeks, progenitor cell differentiation, through YAP and notch pathways, together with hepatocyte expansion led to almost complete regeneration of the ablated liver leading to the formation of hepatocyte like cells at the ablated zone. We did not observe significant scarring or tumor formation at the regenerated areas 6 months post IRE. Our study suggests a new model to study the regeneration of liver when the naïve extracellular matrix is decellularized in vivo with completely preserved extracellular architecture.