Speaker
Description
Conductive nanoparticles (NPs) can potentially enhance pulsed electric field (PEF) electroporation by locally amplifying the electric field at the cell membrane. Theoretical models predict significant field enhancement with elongated conductive NPs, yet translating these advantages into practical applications remains challenging. This study investigates the combination of high-intensity nanosecond PEF (nsPEF) with gold and silica-coated iron oxide NPs to improve cellular electroporation efficiency.
Numerical simulations assess the impact of NP properties—such as shape, size, orientation, and proximity to the membrane—on electroporation efficiency. Experimental validation is performed using human cancer multicellular spheroids (MCSs) exposed to 500 pulses of 10 ns at 20 Hz with electric field intensities of 25 and 50 kV/cm. Propidium iodide (PI) uptake is monitored as an indicator of membrane permeabilization.
Preliminary simulations confirm localized electric field enhancement with AuNPs, yet experimental results reveal challenges in achieving reproducible biological outcomes. While gold NPs showed no detectable PI uptake enhancement, magnetic nanochains exhibited a slight increase in electroporation efficiency when aligned via an external magnetic field. These findings highlight the critical role of NP stability, incubation conditions, and pulse parameters in optimizing electroporation.
This study underscores the complexity of integrating conductive NPs into nsPEF protocols and the need for further investigations to refine experimental conditions.
