Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Cancer Biology Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Bioelectrics Publications

Articles 1 - 30 of 31

Full-Text Articles in Cancer Biology

Synergistic Sensitization Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Cold Atmospheric Plasma Via Amplifying Ros And Apoptotic Signaling, Zobia Minhas, Edwin A. Oshin, Lifang Yang, Chunqi Jiang, Siqi Guo Jan 2026

Synergistic Sensitization Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Cold Atmospheric Plasma Via Amplifying Ros And Apoptotic Signaling, Zobia Minhas, Edwin A. Oshin, Lifang Yang, Chunqi Jiang, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Pancreatic cancer remains a highly lethal malignancy, with standard therapies offering limited benefits in advanced stages; thus, novel strategies that exploit specific cancer cell vulnerabilities are urgently needed. Building on our previous findings that nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) combined with cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) produce enhanced cytotoxicity, this study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying this synergy. Pan02 pancreatic cancer cells were subjected to nsPEF, CAP, or a combination of both. We assessed cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial integrity using metabolic assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. Apoptotic markers were evaluated via Western blotting and caspase …


Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo Jan 2026

Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) are an emerging pulsed-power technology with unique bioelectric characteristics distinct from conventional long-pulse electroporation. As a tunable physical modality, nsEPs can modulate intracellular structures, membrane dynamics, and signaling pathways. Increasing evidence supports nsEPs as a promising non-thermal tumor ablation approach due to their high spatial precision, preservation of critical tissue structures, and minimal adverse effects. One of the most significant discoveries associated with nsEP tumor ablation is the induction of potent systemic antitumor immunity, particularly in situ vaccination (ISV) effects and, in some cases, abscopal effects against distant untreated tumors. Substantial evidence demonstrates that nsEPs can …


Potentiation Of Gelonin Cytotoxicity By Pulsed Electric Fields, Olga N. Pakhomova, Eleni Zivla, Giedre Silkuniene, Mantas Silkunas, Andrei G. Pakhomov Jan 2025

Potentiation Of Gelonin Cytotoxicity By Pulsed Electric Fields, Olga N. Pakhomova, Eleni Zivla, Giedre Silkuniene, Mantas Silkunas, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Gelonin is a ribosome-inactivating protein with extreme intracellular toxicity but poor permeation into cells. Targeted disruption of cell membranes to facilitate gelonin entry is explored for cancer and tissue ablation. We demonstrate a hundreds- to thousands-fold enhancement of gelonin cytotoxicity by pulsed electric fields in the T24, U-87, and CT26 cell lines. The effective gelonin concentration to kill 50% of cells (EC₅₀) after electroporation ranged from <1 nM to about 100 nM. For intact cells, the EC₅₀ was unattainable even at the highest gelonin concentration of 1000 nM, which reduced cell survival by only 5–15%. For isoeffective electroporation treatments using 300 ns, 9 µs, and 100 µs pulses, longer pulses were more efficient at lowering gelonin EC₅₀. Increasing the electric field strength of 8, 100 µs pulses from 0.65 to 1.25 kV/cm reduced gelonin EC₅₀ from 128 nM to 0.72 nM. Conversely, the presence of 100 nM gelonin enabled a more than 20-fold reduction in the number of pulses required for equivalent cell killing. Pulsed electric field-mediated delivery of gelonin shows promise for hyperplasia ablation at concentrations sufficiently low to minimize or avoid systemic toxicity.


Physical Ablative Methods And Cancer Cell Death: Implications For Immunity And Therapies, Alessandra Rossi, Claudia Muratori Jan 2025

Physical Ablative Methods And Cancer Cell Death: Implications For Immunity And Therapies, Alessandra Rossi, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Surgery has traditionally been a cornerstone in cancer treatment, yet its feasibility can be limited by factors such as tumor location and patient health conditions. When surgery is not viable, thermal and pulsed electric field (PEF)-based ablation technologies offer valuable alternatives. Emerging evidence suggests that these approaches not only target tumors effectively but also stimulate antitumor immune responses. In this review, we begin by examining the distinctive features of hyperthermic treatments (radiofrequency and microwave ablation), cryoablation, and PEF-technologies. Subsequently, we discuss the mechanisms of cell death, stress responses, and release of danger signals triggered by these diverse ablation technologies. Finally, …


Studying The Role Of Novel Carbon Nano Tubes As A Therapeutic Agent To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Tnbc) - An In Vitro And In Vivo Study, Kamal Asadipour, Narendra Banerjee, Jazmine Cuffee, Karrington Perry, Shennel Brown, Anasua Banerjee, Erik Armstrong, Stephen Beebe, Hirendra Banerjee Jan 2024

Studying The Role Of Novel Carbon Nano Tubes As A Therapeutic Agent To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Tnbc) - An In Vitro And In Vivo Study, Kamal Asadipour, Narendra Banerjee, Jazmine Cuffee, Karrington Perry, Shennel Brown, Anasua Banerjee, Erik Armstrong, Stephen Beebe, Hirendra Banerjee

Bioelectrics Publications

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a malignant cancer with a very high mortality rate around the world. African American(AA) women are 28% more likely to die from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) than white women with the same diagnosis. AA patients are also more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of the disease and have the lowest survival rates for any stage of diagnosis; There are very few existing anti TNBC drugs with therapeutic efficacy hence newer anti TNBC drug design and investigation is needed. Carbon Nano Tubes(CNT) in recent years have shown effective anti-cancer properties in various …


Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Plasma And Electric Field On Inactivation Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Vitro, Edwin A. Oshin, Zobia Minhas, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Richard Heller, Siqi Guo, Chunqi Jiang Jan 2024

Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Plasma And Electric Field On Inactivation Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Vitro, Edwin A. Oshin, Zobia Minhas, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Richard Heller, Siqi Guo, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma jets (ns-APPJs) produce reactive plasma species, including charged particles and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which can induce oxidative stress in biological cells. Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) has also been found to cause permeabilization of cell membranes and induce apoptosis or cell death. Combining the treatment of ns-APPJ and nsPEF may enhance the effectiveness of cancer cell inactivation with only moderate doses of both treatments. Employing ns-APPJ powered by 9 kV, 200 ns pulses at 2 kHz and 60-nsPEF of 50 kV/cm at 1 Hz, the synergistic effects on pancreatic cancer cells (Pan02) …


Dynamics Of Cell Membrane Lesions And Adaptive Conductance Under The Electrical Stress, Mantas Silkunas, Olga N. Pakhomova, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov Jan 2024

Dynamics Of Cell Membrane Lesions And Adaptive Conductance Under The Electrical Stress, Mantas Silkunas, Olga N. Pakhomova, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Exceeding physiological limits of the cell membrane potential compromises structural integrity, enabling the passage of normally impermeant solutes and disrupting cell function. Electropermeabilization has been studied extensively at the cellular scale, but not at the individual membrane lesion level. We employed fast total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging of Ca(2+) entry transients to discern individual lesions in a hyperpolarized cell membrane and characterize their focality, thresholds, electrical conductance, and the lifecycle. A diffuse and momentary membrane permeabilization without a distinct pore formation was observed already at a -100 mV threshold. Polarizing down to -200 mV created focal pores with a …


Gene Expression Under Combined Hypoxia And Acidosis In Chondrosarcoma, Michael Stacey, Kostika Vangjeli, Christopher Osgood Jan 2023

Gene Expression Under Combined Hypoxia And Acidosis In Chondrosarcoma, Michael Stacey, Kostika Vangjeli, Christopher Osgood

Bioelectrics Publications

Chondrosarcomas are the second most common cause of bone cancer and are removed surgically with wide margins. On recurrence, they are resistant to chemo and radiation therapy and new treatment options are critically required. This tumor type produces hyaline cartilage, a cartilage normally formed under hypoxic and acidic environment due to lack of vasculature in cartilage. Paradoxically, chondrosarcomas arise in the well vascularized, oxygen rich environment of the bone. Hypoxia and acidosis are two stressors where the cellular effects are typically reported separately even though cells experience combined effects of hypoxia and acidosis. Given the mechanistic links between hypoxia and …


Modification Of The Tumor Microenvironment Enhances Anti-Pd-1 Immunotherapy In Metastatic Melanoma, Guilan Shi, Megan Scott, Cathryn G. Mangiamele, Richard Heller Nov 2022

Modification Of The Tumor Microenvironment Enhances Anti-Pd-1 Immunotherapy In Metastatic Melanoma, Guilan Shi, Megan Scott, Cathryn G. Mangiamele, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

Resistance to checkpoint-blockade treatments is a challenge in the clinic. Both primary and acquired resistance have become major obstacles, greatly limiting the long-lasting effects and wide application of blockade therapy. Many patients with metastatic melanoma eventually require further therapy. The absence of T-cell infiltration to the tumor site is a well-accepted contributor limiting immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. In this study, we combined intratumoral injection of plasmid IL-12 with electrotransfer and anti-PD-1 in metastatic B16F10 melanoma tumor model to increase tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and improve therapeutic efficacy. We showed that effective anti-tumor responses required a subset of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4 …


In Vivo Metabolic Analysis Of The Anticancer Effects Of Plasma-Activated Saline In Three Tumor Animal Models, Miao Qi, Dehui Xu, Shuai Wang, Bing Li, Sansan Peng, Qiaosong Li, Hao Zhang, Runze Fan, Hai-Lan Chen, Michael G. Kong Jan 2022

In Vivo Metabolic Analysis Of The Anticancer Effects Of Plasma-Activated Saline In Three Tumor Animal Models, Miao Qi, Dehui Xu, Shuai Wang, Bing Li, Sansan Peng, Qiaosong Li, Hao Zhang, Runze Fan, Hai-Lan Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

In recent years, the emerging technology of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) has grown rapidly along with the many medical applications of cold plasma (e.g., cancer, skin disease, tissue repair, etc.). Plasma-activated liquids (e.g., culture media, water, or normal saline, previously exposed to plasma) are being studied as cancer treatments, and due to their advantages, many researchers prefer plasma-activated liquids as an alternative to CAP in the treatment of cancer. In this study, we showed that plasma-activated-saline (PAS) treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth, as compared with saline, in melanoma, and a low-pH environment had little effect on tumor growth in …


Electroporation And Cell Killing By Milli- To Nanosecond Pulses And Avoiding Neuromuscular Stimulation In Cancer Ablation, Emily Gudvangen, Vitalii Kim, Vitalij Novickij, Federico Battista, Andrei G. Pakhomov Jan 2022

Electroporation And Cell Killing By Milli- To Nanosecond Pulses And Avoiding Neuromuscular Stimulation In Cancer Ablation, Emily Gudvangen, Vitalii Kim, Vitalij Novickij, Federico Battista, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Ablation therapies aim at eradication of tumors with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissues. Conventional pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments cause pain and muscle contractions far beyond the ablation area. The ongoing quest is to identify PEF parameters efficient at ablation but not at stimulation. We measured electroporation and cell killing thresholds for 150 ns–1 ms PEF, uni- and bipolar, delivered in 10- to 300-pulse trains at up to 1 MHz rates. Monolayers of murine colon carcinoma cells exposed to PEF were stained with YO-PRO-1 dye to detect electroporation. In 2–4 h, dead cells were labeled with propidium. Electroporation and …


Alkaline Plasma-Activated Water (Paw) As An Innovative Therapeutic Avenue For Cancer Treatment, Bolun Pang, Zhijie Liu, Sitao Wang, Yuting Gao, Miao Qi, Dehui Xu, Renwu Zhou, Dingxin Liu, Michael G. Kong Jan 2022

Alkaline Plasma-Activated Water (Paw) As An Innovative Therapeutic Avenue For Cancer Treatment, Bolun Pang, Zhijie Liu, Sitao Wang, Yuting Gao, Miao Qi, Dehui Xu, Renwu Zhou, Dingxin Liu, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Plasma-activated water (PAW) is considered to be an effective anticancer agent due to the diverse aqueous reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS: ROS and RNS), but the drawback of low dose and short duration of RONS in acidified PAW limits their clinical application. Herein, this Letter presents an innovative therapeutic avenue for cancer treatment with highly-effective alkaline PAW prepared by air surface plasma. This anticancer alkaline formulation is comprised of a rich mixture of highly chemical RONS and exhibited a prolonged half-life compared to acidified PAW. The H2O2, NO2-, and ONOO-/O2 …


Plasmonic-Based Biosensor For The Early Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer, Thakshila Liyanage, Bayan Alharbi, Linh Quan, Aurora Esquela-Kerscher, Gymama Slaughter Jan 2022

Plasmonic-Based Biosensor For The Early Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer, Thakshila Liyanage, Bayan Alharbi, Linh Quan, Aurora Esquela-Kerscher, Gymama Slaughter

Bioelectrics Publications

A tapered optical fiber (TOF) plasmonic biosensor was fabricated and used for the sensitive detection of a panel of microRNAs (miRNAs) in human serum obtained from noncancer and prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs let7a, let-7c, miR-200b, miR-141, and miR-21 were tested as predictive cancer biomarkers since multianalyte detection minimizes false-positive and false-negative rates and establishes a strong foundation for early PCa diagnosis. The biosensing platform integrates metallic gold triangular nanoprisms (AuTNPs) laminated on the TOF to excite surface plasmon waves in the supporting metallic layer and enhance the evanescent mode of the fiber surface. …


Connexin Hemichannel Activation By S-Nitrosoglutathione Synergizes Strongly With Photodynamic Therapy Potentiating Anti-Tumor Bystander Killing, Chiara Nardin, Chiara Peres, Sabrina Putti, Tiziana Orsini, Claudia Colussi, Flavia Mazzarda, Marcello Raspa, Ferdinando Scavizzi, Anna Maria Salvatore, Francesco Chiani, Abraham Tettey-Matey, Yuanyuan Kuang, Guang Yang, Mauricio A. Retamal, Fabio Mammano Jan 2021

Connexin Hemichannel Activation By S-Nitrosoglutathione Synergizes Strongly With Photodynamic Therapy Potentiating Anti-Tumor Bystander Killing, Chiara Nardin, Chiara Peres, Sabrina Putti, Tiziana Orsini, Claudia Colussi, Flavia Mazzarda, Marcello Raspa, Ferdinando Scavizzi, Anna Maria Salvatore, Francesco Chiani, Abraham Tettey-Matey, Yuanyuan Kuang, Guang Yang, Mauricio A. Retamal, Fabio Mammano

Bioelectrics Publications

In this study, we used B16-F10 cells grown in the dorsal skinfold chamber (DSC) preparation that allowed us to gain optical access to the processes triggered by photodynamic therapy (PDT). Partial irradiation of a photosensitized melanoma triggered cell death in non-irradiated tumor cells. Multiphoton intravital microscopy with genetically encoded fluorescence indicators revealed that bystander cell death was mediated by paracrine signaling due to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release from connexin (Cx) hemichannels (HCs). Intercellular calcium (Ca2+) waves propagated from irradiated to bystander cells promoting intracellular Ca2+ transfer from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to mitochondria and rapid activation of …


Effect Of He Plasma Jet Versus Surface Plasma On The Metabolites Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells, Dehui Xu, Ning Ning, Yujing Xu, Wenjie Xia, Hai-Lan Chen, Michael G. Kong Jan 2021

Effect Of He Plasma Jet Versus Surface Plasma On The Metabolites Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells, Dehui Xu, Ning Ning, Yujing Xu, Wenjie Xia, Hai-Lan Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Cold atmospheric plasma, including plasma jet and surface plasma, can promote the apoptosis of cancer cells without causing significant damage to surrounding normal cells, which was hopeful to be applied to the clinical cancer therapy. However, experimental plasma devices used directly to clinical experiments has challenges in technology and methods, especially the difference in killing tumor cells efficiency of these two common plasma sources. Therefore, it is great necessity to explore the differences in treating tumors between different plasma sources. This paper achieved good killing efficiency by using two kinds of cold atmospheric plasma generating devices, namely plasma jet and …


Mechanisms And Immunogenicity Of Nspef-Induced Cell Death In B16f10 Melanoma Tumors, Alessandra Rossi, Olga N. Pakhomova, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Samantha Weygandt, Anna A. Bulysheva, Len E. Murray, Peter A. Mollica, Claudia Muratori Jan 2019

Mechanisms And Immunogenicity Of Nspef-Induced Cell Death In B16f10 Melanoma Tumors, Alessandra Rossi, Olga N. Pakhomova, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Samantha Weygandt, Anna A. Bulysheva, Len E. Murray, Peter A. Mollica, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Accumulating data indicates that some cancer treatments can restore anticancer immunosurveillance through the induction of tumor immunogenic cell death (ICD). Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) have been shown to efficiently ablate melanoma tumors. In this study we investigated the mechanisms and immunogenicity of nsPEF-induced cell death in B16F10 melanoma tumors. Our data show that in vitro nsPEF (20-200, 200-ns pulses, 7 kV/cm, 2 Hz) caused a rapid dose-dependent cell death which was not accompanied by caspase activation or PARP cleavage. The lack of nsPEF-induced apoptosis was confirmed in vivo in B16F10 tumors. NsPEF also failed to trigger ICD-linked responses such …


Intratumoral Delivery Of Plasmid Il12 Via Electroporation Leads To Regression Of Injected And Noninjected Tumors In Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Shailender Bhatia, Natalie V. Longino, Natalie J. Miller, Rima Kulikauskas, Jayasri G. Iyer, Dafina Ibrani, Astrid Blom, David R. Byrd, Upendra Parvathaneni, Christopher Twitty, Jean S. Campbell, Mai H. Le, Sharron Gargosky, Robert H. Pierce, Richard Heller, Adil Daud, Paul Nghiem Jan 2019

Intratumoral Delivery Of Plasmid Il12 Via Electroporation Leads To Regression Of Injected And Noninjected Tumors In Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Shailender Bhatia, Natalie V. Longino, Natalie J. Miller, Rima Kulikauskas, Jayasri G. Iyer, Dafina Ibrani, Astrid Blom, David R. Byrd, Upendra Parvathaneni, Christopher Twitty, Jean S. Campbell, Mai H. Le, Sharron Gargosky, Robert H. Pierce, Richard Heller, Adil Daud, Paul Nghiem

Bioelectrics Publications

Purpose: Interleukin-12 (IL12) promotes adaptive type I immunity and has demonstrated antitumor efficacy, but systemic administration leads to severe adverse events (AE), including death. This pilot trial investigated safety, efficacy, and immunologic activity of intratumoral delivery of IL12 plasmid DNA (tavo) via in vivo electroporation (i.t.-tavo-EP) in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive virus-associated skin cancer.

Experimental Design: Fifteen patients with MCC with superficial injectable tumor(s) received i.t.-tavo-EP on days 1, 5, and 8 of each cycle. Patients with locoregional MCC (cohort A, N = 3) received one cycle before definitive surgery in week 4. …


Inactivation Of Myeloma Cancer Cells By Helium And Argon Plasma Jets: The Effect Comparison And The Key Reactive Species, Zeyu Chen, Qingjie Cui, Chen Chen, Dehui Xu, Dingxin Liu, H. L. Chen, Michael G. Kong Feb 2018

Inactivation Of Myeloma Cancer Cells By Helium And Argon Plasma Jets: The Effect Comparison And The Key Reactive Species, Zeyu Chen, Qingjie Cui, Chen Chen, Dehui Xu, Dingxin Liu, H. L. Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

In plasma cancer therapy, the inactivation of cancer cells under plasma treatment is closely related to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) induced by plasmas. Quantitative study on the plasma-induced RONS that related to cancer cells apoptosis is critical for advancing the research of plasma cancer therapy. In this paper, the effects of several reactive species on the inactivation of LP-1 myeloma cancer cells are comparatively studied with variable working gas composition, surrounding gas composition, and discharge power. The results show that helium plasma jet has a higher cell inactivation efficiency than argon plasma jet under the same discharge …


Cold Atmospheric Plasma As A Potential Tool For Multiple Myeloma Treatment, Dehui Xu, Yujing Xu, Qingjie Cui, Dingxin Liu, Zhijie Liu, Xiaohua Wang, Yanjie Yang, Niaojuan Feng, Rong Liang, Hailan Chen, Kai Ye, Michael G. Kong Jan 2018

Cold Atmospheric Plasma As A Potential Tool For Multiple Myeloma Treatment, Dehui Xu, Yujing Xu, Qingjie Cui, Dingxin Liu, Zhijie Liu, Xiaohua Wang, Yanjie Yang, Niaojuan Feng, Rong Liang, Hailan Chen, Kai Ye, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a fatal and incurable hematological malignancy thus new therapy need to be developed. Cold atmospheric plasma, a new technology that could generate various active species, could efficiently induce various tumor cells apoptosis. More details about the interaction of plasma and tumor cells need to be addressed before the application of gas plasma in clinical cancer treatment. In this study, we demonstrate that He+O2 plasma could efficiently induce myeloma cell apoptosis through the activation of CD95 and downstream caspase cascades. Extracellular and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation is essential for CD95-mediated cell apoptosis in response …


Enhanced Electric Pulse Technology For The Ablation Of Pancreatic Cancer, Siqi Guo, Niculina I. Burcus, Chelsea M. Edelblute, James Hornef, Chunqi Jiang, Karl Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Stephen J. Beebe Jan 2018

Enhanced Electric Pulse Technology For The Ablation Of Pancreatic Cancer, Siqi Guo, Niculina I. Burcus, Chelsea M. Edelblute, James Hornef, Chunqi Jiang, Karl Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Electric pulse based technology has been developed and studied as a non-thermal ablation method for local control of pancreatic cancer. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has shown a significant survival benefit for local advanced pancreatic cancer in clinical trials. However, incomplete ablation with local recurrence and major complications limit the potential of this new technology. We have developed an integrated moderate heating electric pulse delivery system which consists of controllable tumor heating, multi-parameter monitoring and electric pulse delivery. The impedance of tumor is greatly decreased after moderate heating at 42°C for 1–2 min, which does not cause any cell death. Moderate heating …


Nanopulse Stimulation (Nps) Induces Tumor Ablation And Immunity In Orthotopic 4t1 Mouse Breast Cancer: A Review, Stephen J. Beebe, Brittany P. Lassiter, Siqi Guo Jan 2018

Nanopulse Stimulation (Nps) Induces Tumor Ablation And Immunity In Orthotopic 4t1 Mouse Breast Cancer: A Review, Stephen J. Beebe, Brittany P. Lassiter, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanopulse Stimulation (NPS) eliminates mouse and rat tumor types in several different animal models. NPS induces protective, vaccine-like effects after ablation of orthotopic rat N1-S1 hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we review some general concepts of NPS in the context of studies with mouse metastatic 4T1 mammary cancer showing that the postablation, vaccine-like effect is initiated by dynamic, multilayered immune mechanisms. NPS eliminates primary 4T1 tumors by inducing immunogenic, caspase-independent programmed cell death (PCD). With lower electric fields, like those peripheral to the primary treatment zone, NPS can activate dendritic cells (DCs). The activation of DCs by dead/dying cells leads to increases …


The Cytotoxic Synergy Of Nanosecond Electric Pulses And Low Temperature Leads To Apoptosis, Claudia Muratori, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Elena C. Gianulis, Sarah D. Jensen, Olga N. Pakhomova Jan 2016

The Cytotoxic Synergy Of Nanosecond Electric Pulses And Low Temperature Leads To Apoptosis, Claudia Muratori, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Elena C. Gianulis, Sarah D. Jensen, Olga N. Pakhomova

Bioelectrics Publications

Electroporation by nanosecond electric pulses (nsEP) is an emerging modality for tumor ablation. Here we show the efficient induction of apoptosis even by a non-toxic nsEP exposure when it is followed by a 30-min chilling on ice. This chilling itself had no impact on the survival of U-937 or HPAF-II cells, but caused more than 75% lethality in nsEP-treated cells (300 ns, 1.8-7 kV/cm, 50-700 pulses). The cell death was largely delayed by 5-23 hr and was accompanied by a 5-fold activation of caspase 3/7 (compared to nsEP without chilling) and more than 60% cleavage of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (compared …


Mechanisms Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef)-Induced Cell Death In Cells And Tumors, Stephen J. Beebe Jan 2015

Mechanisms Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef)-Induced Cell Death In Cells And Tumors, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

The evolution of pulse power technology from high power physics to biology and medicine places nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) in positions for in vitro and in vivo applications as non-ligand agonists that not only bypass plasma membrane receptors for induction of intracellular signaling pathways, but also bypass intracellular oncogenic impasses to induce cell death by regulated mechanisms. Based on work reviewed here, a likely scenario for cell and tumor demise includes nsPEF-induced permeabilization of the plasma membrane, Ca2+ influx, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, which is likely due to events beyond permeabilization of the inner mitochondrial membrane, cytochrome …


Enhanced Breast Cancer Therapy With Nspefs And Low Concentrations Of Gemcitabine, Shan Wu, Jinsong Guo, Wendong Wei, Jue Zhang, Jing Fang, Stephen J. Beebe Oct 2014

Enhanced Breast Cancer Therapy With Nspefs And Low Concentrations Of Gemcitabine, Shan Wu, Jinsong Guo, Wendong Wei, Jue Zhang, Jing Fang, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Chemotherapy either before or after surgery is a common breast cancer treatment. Long-term, high dose treatments with chemotherapeutic drugs often result in undesirable side effects, frequent recurrences and resistances to therapy. The anti-cancer drug, gemcitabine (GEM) was used in combination with pulse power technology with nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) for treatment of human breast cancer cells in vitro. Two strategies include sensitizing mammary tumor cells with GEM before nsPEF treatment or sensitizing cells with nsPEFs before GEM treatment.Breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 were treated with 250 65 ns-duration pulses and electric fields of 15, 20 or 25 …


Cancellation Of Cellular Responses To Nanoelectroporation By Reversing The Stimulus Polarity, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Iurii Semenov, Shu Xiao, Olga N. Pakhomova, Betsy Gregory, Karl H. Schoenbach Jan 2014

Cancellation Of Cellular Responses To Nanoelectroporation By Reversing The Stimulus Polarity, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Iurii Semenov, Shu Xiao, Olga N. Pakhomova, Betsy Gregory, Karl H. Schoenbach

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanoelectroporation of biomembranes is an effect of high-voltage, nanosecond-duration electric pulses (nsEP). It occurs both in the plasma membrane and inside the cell, and nanoporated membranes are distinguished by ion-selective and potential-sensitive permeability. Here we report a novel phenomenon of bioeffects cancellation that puts nsEP cardinally apart from the conventional electroporation and electrostimulation by milli- and microsecond pulses. We compared the effects of 60- and 300-ns monopolar, nearly rectangular nsEP on intracellular Ca2+mobilization and cell survival with those of bipolar 60 + 60 and 300 + 300 ns pulses. For diverse endpoints, exposure conditions, pulse numbers (1-60), and …


Electrochemotherapy: From The Drawing Board Into Medical Practice, Damijan Miklavčič, Barbara Mali, Bor Kos, Richard Heller, Gregor Serša Jan 2014

Electrochemotherapy: From The Drawing Board Into Medical Practice, Damijan Miklavčič, Barbara Mali, Bor Kos, Richard Heller, Gregor Serša

Bioelectrics Publications

Electrochemotherapy is a local treatment of cancer employing electric pulses to improve transmembrane transfer of cytotoxic drugs. In this paper we discuss electrochemotherapy from the perspective of biomedical engineering and review the steps needed to move such a treatment from initial prototypes into clinical practice. In the paper also basic theory of electrochemotherapy and preclinical studies in vitro and in vivo are briefly reviewed. Following this we present a short review of recent clinical publications and discuss implementation of electrochemotherapy into standard of care for treatment of skin tumors, and use of electrochemotherapy for other targets such as head and …


Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef) Ablation As An Alternative Or Adjunct To Surgery For Treatment Of Cancer, Ru Chen, Xinhua Chen, Stephen J. Beebe Jan 2013

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef) Ablation As An Alternative Or Adjunct To Surgery For Treatment Of Cancer, Ru Chen, Xinhua Chen, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Surgery as resection or transplantation remains a fundamental means for cancer treatment and often offers an opportunity for a cure. However, surgery is not always possible because of tumor proximity to blood vessels or ducts or when a patient is not healthy enough to undergo surgery. Application of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) is a new approach to treat cancer using pulse power technology that was originally designed for military purposes. This novel approach deposits extremely short pulses of high power, low energy electric fields into malignant tissues using electrodes to encompass tumors. Pre-clinical studies show that treatments are effective …


Applications For Pulse Power Using Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (Nspefs) In Cell Biology And Cancer Treatment, Stephen J. Beebe Jan 2013

Applications For Pulse Power Using Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (Nspefs) In Cell Biology And Cancer Treatment, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

No abstract provided.


Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Combined With Low Concentration Of Gemcitabine On Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Vitro, Jing Wang, Jinsong Guo, Shan Wu, Hongqing Feng, Shujun Sun, Jie Pan, Jue Zhang, Stephen J. Beebe Aug 2012

Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Combined With Low Concentration Of Gemcitabine On Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Vitro, Jing Wang, Jinsong Guo, Shan Wu, Hongqing Feng, Shujun Sun, Jie Pan, Jue Zhang, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Treatment of cancer often involves uses of multiple therapeutic strategies with different mechanisms of action. In this study we investigated combinations of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) with low concentrations of gemcitabine on human oral cancer cells. Cells (Cal-27) were treated with pulse parameters (20 pulses, 100 ns in duration, intensities of 10, 30 and 60 kV/cm) and then cultured in medium with 0.01 mu g/ml gemcitabine. Proliferation, apoptosis/necrosis, invasion and morphology of those cells were examined using MTT, flow cytometry, clonogenics, transwell migration and TEM assay. Results show that combination treatments of gemcitabine and nsPEFs exhibited significant synergistic activities …


Cutaneous Papilloma And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Therapy Utilizing Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (Nspef), Dong Yin, Wangrong G. Yang, Jack Weissberg, Catherine B. Goff, Weikai Chen, Yoshio Kuwayama, Amanda Leiter, Hongtao Xing, Antonie Meixel, Daria Gaut, Fikret Kirkbir, David Sawcer, P. Thomas Vernier, Jonathan W. Said, Martin A. Gundersen, H. Phillip Koeffler Jan 2012

Cutaneous Papilloma And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Therapy Utilizing Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (Nspef), Dong Yin, Wangrong G. Yang, Jack Weissberg, Catherine B. Goff, Weikai Chen, Yoshio Kuwayama, Amanda Leiter, Hongtao Xing, Antonie Meixel, Daria Gaut, Fikret Kirkbir, David Sawcer, P. Thomas Vernier, Jonathan W. Said, Martin A. Gundersen, H. Phillip Koeffler

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) induce apoptotic pathways in human cancer cells. The potential therapeutic effective of nsPEF has been reported in cell lines and in xenograft animal tumor model. The present study investigated the ability of nsPEF to cause cancer cell death in vivo using carcinogen-induced animal tumor model, and the pulse duration of nsPEF was only 7 and 14 nano second (ns). An nsPEF generator as a prototype medical device was used in our studies, which is capable of delivering 7-30 nanosecond pulses at various programmable amplitudes and frequencies. Seven cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and five …