title: Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) disrupts the structure and metabolism of human Echinococcus granulosus protoscolex in vitro with a dose effect.
abstract: The number of interventional treatments for hepatic cystic echinococcosis is increasing, but the chemicals or high temperatures used in these methodologies cause biliary complications, thus limiting their clinical applications. This experimental study aimed to apply a novel, non-thermal, non-chemical ablation method termed nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) for the treatment of human hepatic cystic echinococcosis. The nsPEF treatment parameters against protoscolices from human hepatic cystic echinococcosis were optimized in vitro. The efficacy and mechanism of nsPEF treatment were also investigated. Fresh protoscolices were isolated from human hepatic cystic echinococcosis and were exposed to 300 ns of nsPEF with different field strengths (0, 7, 14, 21, and 29 kV/cm) and pulse numbers (50 and 100 pulses). Then, the viability of the nsPEF-treated protoscolices was evaluated in vitro. Morphological and ultra-structural changes were visualized with H&E staining and scanning electron microscopy. The membrane enzyme activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) was measured. nsPEF caused dose-dependent protoscolex death. One-hundred pulses of nsPEF at 21 kV/cm or higher caused a significant increase in the death rate of protoscolices. nsPEF induced significant lethal damage with 50 pulses at 21 or 29 kV/cm and with 100 pulses at 14, 21, or 29 kV/cm, accompanied by morphological destruction and increased levels of AP and GGT membrane enzymes. Thus, nsPEF induced dose-dependent protoscolex mortality and caused destruction of protoscolices and increased membrane enzymes. The mechanism may involve direct damage to the membrane structures of the protoscolices, promoting enzyme exhaustion and disruption of metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China.
authors.forename: Ruiqing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China.
authors.forename: Tuerganaili
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aji
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China.
authors.forename: Yingmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China.
authors.forename: Tiemin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, #79 Qingchun Road, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, #79 Qingchun Road, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, #79 Qingchun Road, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, 310003, China. xinhua_chen@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary and Hydatid Department, Digestive and Vascular Surgery Centre, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Echinococcosis, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, #137 Liyushan Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China. dr.wenhao@163.com.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Alkaline phosphatase (AP); Echinococcus granulosus; Gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT); Hepatic cystic echinococcosis; Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF); Protoscolex