Nanosecond pulse electrical fields used in conjunction with multi-wall carbon nanotubes as a potential tumor treatment.

The objectives of this communication were to fabricate pure samples of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and to determine their toxicity in tumor cell lines. MWCNTs were dispersed in a concentration of the surfactant T80 that was minimally toxic. Cell-type variation in toxicity to MWCNTs was observed but was not significantly different to unexposed controls. Additionally, we investigated the increased cell killing of the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC1 when exposed to ultrashort (nanosecond) pulsed electrical fields (nsPEF) in the presence of MWCNTs as a potential form of cancer therapy. We hypothesized that the unique electronic properties of MWCNTs disrupt cell function, leading to cell death, when cells are exposed to nsPEF. We observed a 2.3-fold reduction in cell survival in cells pulsed in the presence of MWCNTs compared to pulsed controls. This study demonstrates that ultrashort pulse electrical field applications have enhanced killing effects when cells are previously grown in the presence of MWCNTs, suggesting that the electrical properties of MWCNTs play a vital role in this process and is suggestive of a synergistic interaction between these nanomaterials and electrical fields.