Determination of the Optimal Electrical Field Strength for Inducing Apoptosis in the Rat Stomach During Irreversible Electroporation&NBSP

Aims Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a tissue ablation technique inducing apoptosis. However, the most efficient electrical field strength for IRE has not been determined. We aimed to investigate the optimal electrical field strength for IRE to promote gastric tissue apoptosis and identify post-IRE tissue recovery.

Methods Gastric tissues from 24 rats electroporated at 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 V (4 rats/group) were analyzed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and caspase-3 immunohistochemical staining. The ratio of cleaved caspase-3-stained area to the total stained area was analyzed. Tissue regeneration was analyzed by staining collagen fibers in 400 V-electroporated tissues at 12 h, 24 h, 3 d, 5 d, 7 d, and 14 d post-electroporation.

Results Electroporation at 100 V did not induce tissue damage, contrary to that at 200 V. The electroporated area increased significantly (P < 0.05) after electroporation at 400 V and 500 V. TUNEL assay results confirmed the observed damage. The ratio of cleaved caspase-3-positive area to the total stained area was the highest (9.74) in the 200 V-electroporated mucosae. The number of collagen fibers increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 3 days post-electroporation, peaked after 7 days, and decreased. Mucosal damage was almost restored within 2 weeks.

Conclusions The most efficient electrical field strength for inducing apoptosis was 1000 V/cm. The IRE-induced gastric injury healed in approximately 2 weeks.

Citation: Jeon HJ, Chun HJ, Keum B et al. eP74 DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMAL ELECTRICAL FIELD STRENGTH FOR INDUCING APOPTOSIS IN THE RAT STOMACH DURING IRREVERSIBLE ELECTROPORATION&NBSP. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S120.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021