Study of electroporation effect on HT29 cell migration properties

Pulse electric field exposures on human cancer cells have shown an alternative towards drug free wound treatments. The earlier investigations have shown interesting findings on usage of this electrical means generated via high voltage pulse generator system. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate the effect of pulse electric field on the migration properties of colon cell line HT29 towards the enhancement of wound healing process. The HT29 cells were treated with an electric field of 600V/cm for 500us after a wound model was created in vitro with the aid of a sterile needle. A time-lapse live imaging of the migration properties of the HT29 cell was carried out using integrated devices for live cell imaging that was equipped with CCD camera, temperature and CO2 controllers and an inverted microscope. The result of cell migration properties showed that electroporation has an influence on migration speed of HT29 cell. The electroporated cells were found to close the wound completely in 105 minutes, at an average migration speed of 0.50 μm/min. Whereas the non-electroporated cells closed the wound in 240 minutes, at an average migration speed of 0.24 μm/min. Revealed by the live video microscopy, electroporation was also found to increase the proliferation rate of the HT29 cells. The cells in both treated and control collectively migrate in the direction of the wound closure. Thus, this can further be investigated for the use of pulse electric field in facilitating wound healing process.