Alternating current electrical stimulation enhanced chemotherapy: a novel strategy to bypass multidrug resistance in tumor cells

Abstract

Background: Tumor burden can be pharmacologically controlled by inhibiting cell division and by direct, specific toxicity to the cancerous tissue. Unfortunately, tumors often develop intrinsic pharmacoresistance mediated by specialized drug extrusion mechanisms such as P-glycoprotein. As a consequence, malignant cells may become insensitive to various anti-cancer drugs. Recent studies have shown that low intensity very low frequency electrical stimulation by alternating current (AC) reduces the proliferation of different tumor cell lines by a mechanism affecting potassium channels while at intermediate frequencies interfere with cytoskeletal mechanisms of cell division. The aim of the present study is to test the hypothesis that permeability of several MDR1 over-expressing tumor cell lines to the chemotherapic agent doxorubicin is enhanced by low frequency, low intensity AC stimulation.

A thermodynamic approach to the ‘mitosis/apoptosis’ ratio in cancer

“…Finally, electromagnetic waves have been used experimentally in synergistic support to chemotherapeutic agents [50,51], and they were shown to decrease the resistance of cancer to chemotherapy [52,53]. Importantly, the electromagnetic waves did not show any toxicity in cancer patients [54,55]; indeed, some data highlight the increase of the survival time of cancer patients with disease progression.…”

Intracellular and circulating neuronal antinuclear antibodies in human epilepsy

“…How IgG may migrate from cytosol to nucleus remains unknown. A recent paper has shown that electrical stimulation characterized by low intensity (µA) and a frequency comparable to neuronal firing during an ictal event (50Hz) causes translocation of membrane-bound protein to the nucleus (Janigro et al ., 2006). It is thus possible that field potential changes alone are sufficient to cause subcellular redistribution of macromolecules.…”

Chip Based Electroanalytical Systems for Cell Analysis

“…[191]. Recent studies at the cellular level on cultured cells has for instance showed that electrical high frequency stimulation led to alterations in hormone and neurotransmitter production [192] and that low frequency stimulation of malignant tumors can reduce drug resistance as well as promote a cytostatic effect reducing the proliferation of tumor cells [193]. Kim et al [16] recently demonstrated the interfacing of silicon nanowires with mammalian cells where the penetration into the cells occurred naturally during cell incubation.…”