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Electrochemotherapy of Tumours
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TENG-Driven Electrotherapy: A Self-Powered Approach to Inducing Cancer Cell Apoptosis

Dandugudumula Ramu1, Sugato Hajra2, Swati Panda2

  • 1Division of ABB Research, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea.

ACS Applied Bio Materials
|June 30, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces a self-powered triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) therapy to combat lung cancer metastasis. The TENG uses electrical stimulation to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, offering a novel treatment approach.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Oncology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Cancer metastasis is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths and a major clinical challenge.
  • Current anti-metastatic treatments face limitations including toxicity, low efficacy, and drug resistance.
  • Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) show promise as self-powered electrotherapies but their role in metastasis suppression is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of TENGs as an active electrotherapeutic tool for suppressing lung cancer cell migration.
  • To develop a self-powered TENG-driven approach for regulated electrical stimulation to treat cancer metastasis.
  • To explore the underlying mechanisms of TENG-induced cancer cell death.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a self-powered TENG to deliver regulated electrical stimulation to early lung cancer cells (A549) in vitro.
  • Applied specific electrical parameters (60 V, 760 nA for 5 min) to assess effects on cell migration and viability.
  • Investigated the induction of apoptosis and the activation of key cellular pathways (caspase-3, PARP).

Main Results:

  • The TENG-based electrotherapy effectively suppressed early lung cancer cell migration in vitro.
  • Electrical stimulation disrupted cellular redox homeostasis.
  • Induced caspase-3-mediated apoptotic cell death via the caspase-3/PARP pathway.

Conclusions:

  • TENGs can serve as self-powered platforms for mechanistic electrotherapy, not just energy harvesting.
  • This TENG-driven approach offers a novel strategy for cancer metastasis suppression by inducing apoptosis.
  • The findings open new avenues for utilizing mechanical energy to initiate controlled cancer cell death pathways.
Keywords:
apoptosiscancerelectrical simulationtherapeuticstriboelectric

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