Characterization of ultrashort electric pulses for the control of biological processes

pef systemThe application of sufficiently intense and relatively short pulsed electric fields to mammalian cells, is capable of inducing a significant increase of plasma membrane permeability to ions and macromolecules normally not permeant (electroporation). In particular, pulsed electric fields (PEFs) of field amplitude up to kV/m and duration in the millisecond (ms) to microsecond (µs) time scale are commonly employed to potentiate the efficacy of chemiotherapeutic drugs in the clinical treatment of superficial solid cancers (electrochemotherapy) or to promote the process of microbic deactivation in food and water treatments. More recently, taking advantages from the development of new technologies in the framework of pulsed power systems, PEFs of higher electric field amplitude (MV/m) and shorter durations (nanoseconds) have been developed. Such pulses (nsPEF) have been demonstrated to target not only the plasma membrane but also to interact with intracellular structures, and induce several cell death pathways in cancer cells. These observations raised great interest from several research groups at international level, and the study of interactions between such electric pulses and the biological structures could lead to the definition of a new technology for cancer treatment, that is non thermal and drug free.

In this context, IREA researchers are involved in characterizing the nsPEF effects in mammalian cell cultures with double aim to give insight into interaction mechanisms, still unclear, and to explore the potential applications. Moreover, in collaboration with the Department of Information Engineering of the Second University of Naples, innovative devices for pulse generation and delivery in cellular samples are designed and realized.


Additional Info

ISI Journals

Stefania Romeo, Claudio D’Avino, Olga Zeni, Luigi Zeni, A Blumlein-type, Nanosecond Pulse Generator with Interchangeable Transmission Lines for bioelectrical applications, IEEE Trans. on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Vol. 20, Issue 4, pp. 1224-1230, August 2013.

Patrizia Lamberti, Vincenzo Tucci, Stefania Romeo, Anna Sannino, Maria Rosaria Scarfì, Olga Zeni, nsPEF-induced effects on cell membranes: the use of an electrophysical model to optimize the experimental design, IEEE Trans. on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Vol. 20, Issue 4, pp. 1231-1238, August 2013.

Stefania Romeo, Yu-Hsuan Wu, Zachary A. Levine, Martin A. Gundersen, P. Thomas Vernier, Water influx and cell swelling after nanosecond electropermeabilization, BBA-Biomembranes 1828 (2013), 1715-1722 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2013.03.007.

S. Romeo, M. Sarti, M.R. Scarfì, L. Zeni, “Modified Blumlein pulse forming networks for bioelectrical applications”, Journal of Membrane Biology,  236 (1), 55-60, 2010.

Romeo S, Zeni L, Sarti M, Sannino A, Scarfì MR, Vernier PT, Zeni O. (2011) DNA Electrophoretic Migration Patterns Change after Exposure of Jurkat Cells to a Single Intense Nanosecond Electric Pulse. PLoS ONE 6(12): e28419. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028419

 

Participation in  international conferences

P. Lamberti, S. Romeo, A. Sannino, M.R. Scarfì, V. Tucci, O. Zeni, L. Zeni, A Numerical Study of Electroporation Dynamics in Mammalian Cells Under Multiple Nanosecond Electric Pulses, BioEM2013, June 10-15, Thessaloniki, Greece.

S. Romeo, G. Pataro, A. Sannino, O. Zeni, G. Ferrari, M. R. Scarfì, L. Zeni, High voltage, ns electric pulse exposure of liquid media for evaluation of metal release from electrodes, BioEM2013, June 10-15, Thessaloniki, Greece

S. Romeo, G. Pataro, A. Sannino, O. Zeni, G. Ferrari, M. R. Scarfì, Nanosecond, High-Voltage Pulse Generator for Electric Pulse Application to Low Conductivity Liquid Media, Bioelec trochemistry 2013, March 17-21, 2013, Bochum, Germany

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, A. Sannino, M.R. Scarfì, L. Zeni, A modified Blumlein system with fiber optic-based switch control for high voltage, ns, pulse generation, 2012 International Conference Bio and Food Electrotechnologies, September 26-28, 2012, Salerno.

S. Romeo, L. Zeni, A. Sannino, M. R. Scarfì, P. T. Vernier, O. Zeni, Investigating the role of pulse repetition rate in modulating cellular response to high voltage, nanosecond electric pulses, 2012 IEEE International Power Modulator and High Voltage Conference, June 3-7, 2012, San Diego, CA.

Y.H. Wu, S. Romeo, Z.A. Levine, P.T. Vernier, “Cell swelling after nanosecond pulsed electric field exposure”, BEMS 33rd Annual Meeting, Halifax, Canada, 12-17 June, 2011 

S. Romeo, Y.H. Wu, Z.A. Levine and P.T. Vernier, “Water Influx After Nanoelectropermeabilization”, 2011 International Bioelectrics Symposium, Toulouse, France, 4-6 May, 2011.

Yu-Hsuan Wu, Stefania Romeo, Martin A Gundersen, P Thomas Vernier, Biophotonic Studies of Intracellular Responses to Nanosecond, Megavolt-per-meter, pulsed Electric Field, Bio-Optics: Design and Application Conference (Optical Society of America) Monterey, California, April 4, 2011

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, M.R. Scarfì, M. Sarti, A. Sannino, P.T. Vernier, L. Zeni, “Electro-perturbation of DNA in Jurkat cells  under nanosecond pulsed electric fields”, Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, USA, 5-9 March, 2011. 

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, M.R. Scarfì, M. Sarti, A. Sannino, P.T. Vernier, L. Zeni, “Intracellular Effects of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields on Jurkat Cells”, BEMS 32nd  Annual Meeting,  Seoul, South Korea, 14-18 June, 2010.

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, A. Sannino, M. Sarti, M.R. Scarfì and L. Zeni, “Intense ultrashort pulsed electric fields generating system and preliminary results on Jurkat cells”, ANIS 2 (Alp Nano Bio International School 2), Vipiteno, Italy, 11-15 January, 2010.

Y.H. Wu, S. Romeo, Z.A. Levine, P.T. Vernier, “Cell swelling after nanosecond pulsed electric field exposure”, BEMS 33rd Annual Meeting, Halifax, Canada, 12-17 June, 2011 

S. Romeo, Y.H. Wu, Z.A. Levine and P.T. Vernier, “Water Influx After Nanoelectropermeabilization”, 2011 International Bioelectrics Symposium, Toulouse, France, 4-6 May, 2011.

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, M.R. Scarfì, M. Sarti, A. Sannino, P.T. Vernier, L. Zeni, “Electro-perturbation of DNA in Jurkat cells  under nanosecond pulsed electric fields”, Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, USA, 5-9 March, 2011. 

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, M.R. Scarfì, M. Sarti, A. Sannino, P.T. Vernier, L. Zeni, “Intracellular Effects of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields on Jurkat Cells”, BEMS 32nd  Annual Meeting,  Seoul, South Korea, 14-18 June, 2010.

S. Romeo, O. Zeni, A. Sannino, M. Sarti, M.R. Scarfì and L. Zeni, “Intense ultrashort pulsed electric fields generating system and preliminary results on Jurkat cells”, ANIS 2 (Alp Nano Bio International School 2), Vipiteno, Italy, 11-15 January, 2010.

S. Romeo, M. Sarti, M.R. Scarfì, L. Zeni, Modified Blumlein Pulse Forming Networks for Bioelectrical Applications, EBTT 2009 (Electroporation Based Technologies and Treatments), Ljiubljiana, Slovenia, 15-22 November, 2009.

A. de Angelis, M. Sarti, MR Scarfì, L. Zeni, " Blumlein variable length high-voltage pulse generator for electroporation and intracellular electromanipulation experiments". Bioelectrochemistry Gordon Research Conference, Aussois, France, September 3-7, 2006.

 

Participation in  national conferences

Patrizia Lamberti, Stefania Romeo, Anna Sannino, Maria Rosaria Scarfì, Vincenzo Tucci, Olga Zeni, FEM modeling of the Pore dynamics induced by an experimental nsPEF, ICEmB 2012, Bologna, Italy.

Romeo S, Zeni O, Sarti M, Sannino A, Scarfì MR, Zeni L, Intense Ultra Short Pulsed Electric Fields (US-PEF) Effects on Jurkat Cells. Convegno "Attività di Ricerca del Centro Interuniversitario ICEmB a Venti Anni dalla Sua Costituzione", Genova, 25-26 febbraio, 2010.

O. Zeni, S. Romeo, M.R. Scarfì, M. Sarti, A. Sannino, P.T. Vernier, L. Zeni, “Intracellular Effects of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields on Jurkat Cells”, XVII Riunione NAzionale di Elettromagnetismo (RiNEM), Benevento, Italy, 6-10 September, 2010

Targets, Probes and Signals in therapy and diagnostics- Call for the realization of the biotechnologies network in Campania Region - operative objective 2.1 POR CAMPANIA 2007/2013 

In the framework of this project, in strict collaboration with IGEA Carpi (MO), electroporation protocols, equivalent to the ones in use for electrochemiotherapy (ECT), for the intracellular delivery of biomolecules, will be set. Moreover, the impact of electroporation and anticancer drugs on cell lines which are resistant to chemiotherapeutic drugs will be evaluated. The project aims to investigate the association of the electroporation with more recent drugs since the knowledge on the drug to be used refers to the studies of 1992.

Seconda Università di Napoli - Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell' Informazione

University of Southern California - Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering