Pulsed Electric Field Effects on Biological Cells

Abstract

Public reporting burden for this collection ot intormation is estimated to average yiour P* r sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing trie collect aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Washington. DC 20503. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) AFRL-SR-BL-TR-02- ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) Jjc.A new type of field-cell interaction, "Intracellular Electromanipulation", by means of nonthermal, wideband electromagnetic radiation is being studied. It is based on capactive coupling to cell substructures, and has therfore the potential to affect transport processes across subcellular membrances. This was verified experimentally by applying electrical pulses of 60 nanosecond duration, with electric field amplitudes of 50 kV/cm to human eosinophils in vitro. Besides causing poration of intracellular membrances without disrupting the outer cell membrance, sub-microsecond pulses were found to induce apoptosis in cells. Reproduced AbstractA new type of field-cell interaction, "Intracellular Electromanipulation", by means of nonthermal, wideband electromagnetic radiation is being studied. It is based on capacitive coupling to cell substructures, and has therefore the potential to affect transport processes across subcellular membranes. This was verified experimentally by applying electrical pulses of 60 nanosecond duration, with electric field amplitudes of >50 kV/cm to human eosinophils in vitro. Besides causing poration of intracellular membranes without disrupting the outer cell membrane, sub-microsecond pulses were found to induce apoptosis in cells. This effect is being explored for cancer treatment. Experiments with sub-microsecond electric field exposure on a mouse model showed reduced tumor growth. In addition to wideband radiation effects, the response of cells to narrowband electromagnetic radiation in selected millimeter-wave (41 GHz -43 GHz), and radio-wave (800 kHz to 850 KHz) ranges was studied at moderate power levels (mW/cm 2 to W/cm 2 ). The results of experiments in both wavelength ranges did not indicate any resonance effects. A third field of bioelectric research, bacterial decontamination using nanosecond pulsed elctric fields and pulsed corona discharges in water, has been initiated. First results indicate increased decontamination efficiency with cold plasmas in water compared to pulsed electric fields. SummaryThe program in Basic and Applied Bioelectrics at Old Dominion University and Eastern Virginia Medical School, which was initiated and supported by this grant contains a medical/ biological and an environmental component. Research efforts have a) focused on the effect of high power, ultra-fast electrical pulses (wideband radiation) and that of moderate power, cw narrowband radiation on mammalian cells and tissues. b) Experiments on the effect of pulsed electric fields on bacteria either by direct irradiation or through el...

Enhancing Transdermal Drug Delivery with Electroporation

“…Patented designs for nanosecond pulse generation were given by Scheonbach et al [10] and Gundersen et al [11] using a transmission line concept. Most pulsers specially designed and marketed in the past decades for transfection of cells in vitro by electroporation can also be used for transdermal electroporation.…”