Abstract

Exponentially Decaying Electric Pulses for Improving Radioactive Iodine uptake in human thyroid cancer cells

Radioactive iodine (radioiodine) is an effective nuclear medicine treatment used to eradicate thyroid cancer cells. The problem was the inability of thyroid cells to retain radioiodine which causes the thyroid cancer cells to be resistant to radioactive iodine treatment. Therefore, there are different methods that have been established to enhance the radioiodine uptake within the thyroid cancer cells for therapeutic purposes. Exposure of human cells to exponentially decaying high intensity, short duration electric pulses permeabilizes the plasma membrane to impermeable molecules. Electroporation is a physical modality that involves high intensity, short duration electric pulses to facilitate the entry of impermeable molecules by increasing the plasma membrane permeability. The purpose of this study was to use exponentially decaying high intensity, short duration electric pulses in incorporating radioactive iodine into non-iodine retaining follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line FTC133. Results showed that the uptake of radioiodine by electroporation has a dependence on the electric field, external concentration of the iodine, time and the temperature of incubation. The incorporated radioiodine was retained over a period of 24 h. The permanent concentration of the incorporated iodine may have a significant effect on the tumoricidal properties if approved in vivo.

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