Polymers for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

MARSHALL GUILLERMO, OLAIZ NAHUEL, MOCSKOS ESTEBAN, COLOMBO LUCAS, SUAREZ CECILIA, GONZALEZ GRACIELA, RISK MARCELO, SOBA ALEJANDRO, NUÑEZ LUIS, CALVO JUAN CARLOS, MOLINA FERNANDO

Salerno, Italy

Congreso; PPS-24; 2008

In this study, tumor tissues are simulated in vitro with natural polymer gels (collagens) to elucidate electrochemical processes taking place during electrochemical therapy. Use of electric currents in chemotherapy greatly enhances drug transport and delivery synergistically with diffusion mechanism, transport by migration, convection, or electroporation. Cancer electrochemical treatment is based upon the passage of an electric current, whether direct (electrochemical treatment, EChT) or micro -pulsed (electrochemotherapy, ECT), through two or more electrodes inserted locally in the tumor tissue. Extreme pH changes at tissue level (EChT) with significant water motion or the creation of membrane porous channels at the cell level (ECT), the presence of electric fields facilitating transmembrane penetration of anticancer drugs into the cell, tumor  regression, are the main electrochemical effects. Here we explore a combination of ECT and EChT with drug-loaded nanoparticles with the final goal of enhancing drug transport and delivery to tumor tissues and cells. Polymer measurements are contrasted with in silico simulations (using a mathematical model based on the Nernst-Planck, Poisson and Navier-Stokes equations for ion transport, electric field distribution and fluid flow, respectively) and with in vivo measurements with intravital  microscopy using BALB/c mice bearing a subcutaneous tumor under a dorsal window chamber. Preliminary results suggest that the use of nanoparticle charged drug delivery systems and tuned electric fields significantly increases drug transport and delivery.