Development of low-invasive cancer therapy with nanosecond electric pulses

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350540
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical systems
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yano Ken-ichi 熊本大学, パルスパワー科学研究所, 教授 (70311230)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): AKIYAMA Hidenori 熊本大学, パルスパワー科学研究所, 教授 (50126827) ; TATEISHI Satoshi 熊本大学, 発生医学研究所, 講師 (00227109)
• Research Collaborator: SAKUGAWA Takashi 熊本大学, パルスパワー科学研究所, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ナノ秒電気パルス / 癌治療 / 細胞死 / カルシウム / 腫瘍形成 / 遊走能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was aimed to provide a basis for therapeutic applications of nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) for cancer. First, we showed calcium-dependent induction of necrotic cell death by nsEPs in cell lines derived from human solid tumors. Second, using a novel experimental setup that allows generation of EPs with variable pulse width, we found a clear difference between optimal pulse width for cell death induction and that for electroporation. Finally, we demonstrated that nsEPs suppress tumor formation and migration of several cultured tumor cell lines. These novel findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of nsEPs and will serve as an important basis for establishing a novel cancer therapy with nsEPs.

Free Research Field

医工学