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OpenEP: an open-source simulator for electroporation-based tumor treatments. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1423. [PMID: 33446750 PMCID: PMC7809294 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79858-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Electroporation (EP), the increase of cell membrane permeability due to the application of electric pulses, is a universal phenomenon with a broad range of applications. In medicine, some of the foremost EP-based tumor treatments are electrochemotherapy (ECT), irreversible electroporation, and gene electrotransfer (GET). The electroporation phenomenon is explained as the formation of cell membrane pores when a transmembrane cell voltage reaches a threshold value. Predicting the outcome of an EP-based tumor treatment consists of finding the electric field distribution with an electric threshold value covering the tumor (electroporated tissue). Threshold and electroporated tissue are also a function of the number of pulses, constituting a complex phenomenon requiring mathematical modeling. We present OpenEP, an open-source specific purpose simulator for EP-based tumor treatments, modeling among other variables, threshold, and electroporated tissue variations in time. Distributed under a free/libre user license, OpenEP allows the customization of tissue type; electrode geometry and material; pulse type, intensity, length, and frequency. OpenEP facilitates the prediction of an optimal EP-based protocol, such as ECT or GET, defined as the critical pulse dosage yielding maximum electroporated tissue with minimal damage. OpenEP displays a highly efficient shared memory implementation by taking advantage of parallel resources; this permits a rapid prediction of optimal EP-based treatment efficiency by pulse number tuning.
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Perkons NR, Stein EJ, Nwaezeapu C, Wildenberg JC, Saleh K, Itkin-Ofer R, Ackerman D, Soulen MC, Hunt SJ, Nadolski GJ, Gade TP. Electrolytic ablation enables cancer cell targeting through pH modulation. Commun Biol 2018; 1:48. [PMID: 30271931 PMCID: PMC6123816 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0047-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Minimally invasive ablation strategies enable locoregional treatment of tumors. One such strategy, electrolytic ablation, functions through the local delivery of direct current without thermal effects, facilitating enhanced precision. However, the clinical application of electrolytic ablation is limited by an incompletely characterized mechanism of action. Here we show that acid and base production at the electrodes precipitates local pH changes causing the rapid cell death that underlies macroscopic tumor necrosis at pH > 10.6 or < 4.8. The extent of cell death can be modulated by altering the local buffering capacity and antioxidant availability. These data demonstrate that electrolytic ablation is distinguished from other ablation strategies via its ability to induce cellular necrosis by directly altering the tumor microenvironment. These findings may enable further development of electrolytic ablation as a curative therapy for primary, early stage tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Perkons
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, 210S 33rd St., Suite 240 Skirkanich Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Elliot J Stein
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Chike Nwaezeapu
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Joseph C Wildenberg
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kamiel Saleh
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Roni Itkin-Ofer
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Daniel Ackerman
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Michael C Soulen
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Stephen J Hunt
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Gregory J Nadolski
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Terence P Gade
- Penn Image-Guided Interventions Laboratory, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, 210S 33rd St., Suite 240 Skirkanich Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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