A nanosecond electrical pulse and a calcium ion can be combined to create an effective, selective and less toxic method of destroying cancer cells compared to traditional therapies. Scientists and doctors from the Wroclaw Medical University use nanosecond calcium electroporation.
According to the university's press release, in laboratory tests, nsCaEP (nanosecond calcium electroporation) therapy caused severe damage to colon cancer cells, including those resistant to treatment. 'Healthy cells were much less sensitive, which may suggest a potentially better safety profile than in the case of chemotherapy', we read in the release.
'This selectivity of action is one of the most promising aspects of CaEP. Healthy cells, thanks to better functioning ion regulation mechanisms and lower susceptibility to metabolic stress, actually show greater resistance to the effects of CaEP. This may mean that this method will be less toxic than traditional chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which often damage healthy tissues as well', says Anna Szewczyk, PhD, from the Wroclaw Medical University, quoted in the release.
She adds that calcium electroporation (CaEP) has been successfully used for several years as an independent anti-cancer treatment method, especially in countries such as Denmark and Germany.
'I had the opportunity to participate in a CaEP procedure in the treatment of breast cancer during my internship in Copenhagen in 2016. This experience convinced me that this method was not only effective, but also safe and relatively minimally invasive', Szewczyk says.
One of the greatest challenges of cancer therapy are the so-called cancer stem cells. The research team noticed that nanosecond electroporation without calcium reduced the level of the CD133 marker, characteristic of these cells. Surprisingly, the presence of calcium seemed to weaken this effect.
'In our study, we observed a clear reduction in the level of the CD133 marker after using nanosecond electroporation (nsEP) - mainly without the presence of calcium. (...) We plan to continue research in this direction, analysing not only the expression of CD133, but also the behaviour of other markers of cancer cells, their ability to renew and form colonies after the use of both CaEP and nsEP', Szewczyk announces.
The team from Wrocław does not intend to stop at the laboratory. In vivo research and further clinical tests are planned. Some of them have already started.
"Our unit is actively working towards implementing calcium electroporation (CaEP) in both preclinical and clinical studies. To that end, we cooperate, among others, with veterinarians from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, testing the use of the CaEP method in animals. In 2019, thanks to the cooperation of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology headed by Professor Julita Kulbacka, and the team of Professor Wojciech Kielan from the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław, CaEP was used for the first time in accordance with the ESOPE scheme in patients with pancreatic cancer', Szewczyk says.
According to Szewczyk, the research results give hope that thanks to simple physical phenomena - and not expensive drugs or invasive procedures - it will be possible to develop a new quality in the treatment of cancer diseases. 'A nanosecond pulse with added calcium may become the therapy of the future: selective, safe and effective even where traditional methods fail', the researcher concludes. (PAP)
PAP - Science in Poland
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