UC Berkeley

Background

Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) has recently been conceived as a new minimally invasive ablation method, using microsecond electric fields to produce nanoscale defects in the cell membrane bilayer and induce cell death while keeping all other molecules, including the extracellular matrix, intact. Here, we present the first in vivo study that examines the effects of NTIRE on the small intestine, an organ whose collateral damage is of particular concern in the anticipated use of NTIRE for treatment of abdominal cancers.

Methods

A typical NTIRE electrical protocol was applied directly to the rat small intestine and histological analysis was used to examine the effect of NTIRE over time.

Results

The application of NTIRE led to complete cell ablation in the targeted tissue, but the animal did not show any physiological effects of the procedure and the intestine showed signs of recovery, developing an epithelial layer 3 days post treatment and regenerating its distinct layers within a week.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that this novel procedure can be used for abdominal cancer treatment while minimising collateral damage to adjacent tissues because of the unique ability of the NTIRE ablation method to target the cell membrane.