[Pulsed electric fields inhibit tumor growth but induce myocardial injury of melanoma-bearing mice].

Objective To investigate the tumor inhibiting effect of pulsed electric fields (PEFs) on melanoma-bearing mice, and understand its influence on myocardial cells and cardial electrical activity. Methods The melanoma models of the BALB/c mice were established by subcutaneously injecting B16 melanoma cells. These mice were randomly divided into four groups. The treated groups received pulsed electric stimulation at pulse width of 1, 3, 5 ms, with field strength of 100 V/cm and frequency of 10 Hz for 10 minutes daily in 15 consecutive days. ECG of mice was recorded. Tumor volume was measured with vernier caliper. Morphological changes of tumors were observed by HE staining. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA was tested by real-time quantitative PCR, and the expression of PCNA protein was detected by immunofluorescence histochemistry. The ultrastructural changes of the cardiac tissues were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The serum levels of cardial troponin T (cTnT) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) were detected by ELISA. Results Compared with the control group, tumor volumes in all treated groups were reduced 7 days after PEFs treatment; more melanin granules in tumor cells were found in the treated groups; the expressions of PCNA mRNA and protein were down-regulated in all treated groups, and there were greater changes in the groups receiving the bigger pulse width. Myocardial injury was found in 3 ms group and 5 ms group, and the expressions of cTnT and CK-MB were significantly higher than those in the control group. Conclusion PEFs can inhibit tumor growth in melanoma-bearing mice. Increase of pulse width will aggravate myocardial injury.