Applying Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) for the Biophysical Characterization of Mammalian Tissues under a Variety of Cellular Stresses

Abstract

The dielectric properties of biological tissues can contribute non-invasively to a better characterization and understanding of the structural properties and physiology of living organisms. The question we asked, is whether these induced changes are effected by an endogenous or exogenous cellular stress, and can they be detected non-invasively in the form of a dielectric response, e.g., an AC conductivity switch in the broadband frequency spectrum. This study constitutes the first methodological approach for the detection of environmental stress-induced damage in mammalian tissues by the means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) at the frequencies of 1–106 Hz. Firstly, we used non-ionizing (NIR) and ionizing radiation (IR) as a typical environmental stress. Specifically, rats were exposed to either digital enhanced cordless telecommunication (DECT) radio frequency electromagnetic radiation or to γ-radiation, respectively. The other type of stress, characterized usually by high genomic instability, was the pathophysiological state of human cancer (lung and prostate). Analyzing the results of isothermal dielectric measurements provided information on the tissues’ water fraction. In most cases, our methodology proved sufficient in detecting structural changes, especially in the case of IR and malignancy. Useful specific dielectric response patterns are detected and correlated with each type of stress. Our results point towards the development of a dielectric-based methodology for better understanding and, in a relatively invasive way, the biological and structural changes effected by radiation and developing lung or prostate cancer often associated with genomic instability.

Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy and Its Role in the Characterization of Biological Cells

“…In recent years, the method has returned to researchers' attention, more precisely in the field of oncology (Grenier et al, 2013). A first example would be the work of Souli (Souli et al, 2017) who conducted a study on a wide variety of human and mammalian cells in pathological conditions, such as irradiation or cancerous changes. Despite individual variability, significant differences have been established between normal cells and their pathological variants, especially in the case of breast or prostate tissue.…”

“…As a result, beside the size and weight differences of CTCs to red and white blood cells, different polarization-induced dielectric forces are useful in making the separation process easier. (Souli et al, 2017) Human blood 1. Absence of an α-relaxation in blood 2. β-relaxation is composed of two separate relaxation processes.…”