Nanosecond pulsed electric fields stimulate apoptosis without release of pro-apoptotic factors from mitochondria in B16f10 melanoma.

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) eliminates B16f10 melanoma in mice, but cell death mechanisms and kinetics of molecular events of cell death are not fully characterized. Treatment of B16f10 cells in vitro resulted in coordinate increases in active caspases with YO-PRO-1 uptake, calcium mobilization, decreases in mitochondria membrane potential with decreases in forward light scatter (cell size), increases in ADP/ATP ratio, degradation of actin cytoskeleton and membrane blebbing. However, there was no mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, AIF or Smac/DIABLO or generation of reactive oxygen species.

Non-ionizing radiation with nanosecond pulsed electric fields as a cancer treatment: in vitro studies.

Cancer continues to be a major risk to the health and well being among populations around the world. A new method using ion-ionizing radiation with nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) provides a novel means to treat cancer at local sites. NsPEFs promote cell death in several cell types and here we investigated mechanisms for cell death induction.