Self-Powered Electrical Impulse Chemotherapy for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) presents significant challenges due to traditional chemotherapy's drug resistance and side effects.
• Developing innovative therapeutic strategies is crucial for improving OSCC patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a self-powered electrical impulse chemotherapy (EIC) system for OSCC treatment.
• To investigate the efficacy of a portable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in enhancing chemotherapeutic drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• A portable TENG with a zigzag structure was designed to generate controllable electrical impulses (200-600 V).
• A microneedle electrode was employed to enhance the electric field intensity for improved drug uptake.
• The system utilized doxorubicin (DOX) as the chemotherapeutic agent.

Main Results:

• The TENG-generated electrical impulses significantly increased the cellular endocytosis of DOX.
• The EIC system achieved a maximal apoptotic cell ratio of 22.47%.
• A minimum relative 3D multicellular tumor sphere (MCTS) volume of 160% was observed at a DOX dosage of 1 μg mL⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• The self-powered EIC system offers a promising approach for OSCC therapy by enhancing drug delivery and efficacy.
• The TENG-based system provides a portable and controllable method for cancer treatment.
• The microneedle electrode design is suitable for 3D cell and tissue applications.