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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Generation and Quantitative Analysis of Pulsed Low Frequency Ultrasound to Determine the Sonic Sensitivity of Untreated and Treated Neoplastic Cells
Published on: July 22, 2015
Membrane damage effect of therapeutic ultrasound on Ehrlich ascitic tumor cells
Qiao Hao1, Quanhong Liu, Xiaobing Wang
1College of Life Sciences and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an China.
Purpose:
The biologic effects and the underlying mechanisms of Ehrlich ascitic tumor (EAT) cells induced by ultrasound were investigated in this study.
Methods:
Cells were subjected to ultrasonic irradiation with a frequency of 2.17 MHz and an intensity of 3 W/cm(2) for variable periods of time. Trypan blue exclusion was used to detect the integrity of cellular membrane; the membrane permeability was investigated by the incorporation of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran during ultrasound exposure; and the cell membrane ultrastructure changes were observed under a scanning electron microscope. The potential mechanism was estimated from the generation of hydroxyl radicals, the lipid peroxidation levels, and intracellular reactive oxygen radicals production.
Results:
The cell membrane damage effects induced by ultrasound increased with a prolonged exposure time; the fluorescent rates of the cells irradiated with ultrasound for 30 and 60 seconds were 11.46% and 18.50%, respectively; the amount of hydroxyl radicals in 30 (26.10 U/mL) and 60 seconds (28.47 U/mL) were significantly enhanced, compared with the control group (24.44 U/mL); then, the level of lipid peroxidation was also changed from 0.27 to 0.54 (30 seconds) and 1.21 nmol/mL (60 seconds).
Conclusions:
Shear forces and free radicals produced by acoustic cavitation may play important roles in these actions.
