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Capacitive coupling increases the accuracy of cell-specific tumour disruption by electric fields
Terje Wimberger1, Verena K Köhler2, Eva K Ehmoser3
1AIT - Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Department of Health & Bioresources, Vienna 1210, Austria; BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Nanobiotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria.
Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|March 18, 2020
Summary
Capacitive coupling using high-k dielectric coated electrodes enables selective cell lysis in microfluidics. This method consistently separates erythrocytes and specific cancer cells from blood, overcoming limitations of traditional electroporation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Irreversible electroporation (IRE) offers potential for cell-specific lysis based on size-dependent electric field susceptibility.
- Prior IRE methods struggle with inconsistent outcomes and overlapping cell population lysis.
- Electrode-liquid interface charge transfer, involving electric fields and electrochemical reactions, complicates selective lysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a novel approach for selective cell lysis using capacitive coupling via high-k dielectric coated electrodes.
- To overcome the limitations of conventional IRE by mitigating electrode-liquid interface effects.
- To demonstrate reproducible and selective cell depletion in a microfluidic device.
Main Methods:
- Development of microfluidic devices with electrodes coated in a high-k dielectric layer.
- Application of electric fields to induce capacitive coupling for cell lysis.
- Experimental validation using whole blood and mixtures of Jurkat/MCF-7 cells with leukocytes.
Main Results:
- Consistent and selective depletion of erythrocytes from whole blood, leaving leukocytes intact.
- Reproducible lysis of Jurkat and MCF-7 cells in mixtures with leukocytes.
- Observed lysis order not correlated with cell size, indicating a novel selectivity mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Capacitive coupling via dielectric-coated electrodes restores selective electric field-mediated lysis.
- This technique offers a promising alternative to conventional IRE for cell separation and lysis.
- Cellular response to capacitive coupling exhibits selectivity distinct from conventional lysis, warranting further investigation.
