Effects of pulsed electric fields on mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro.

The effects of pulsed electric fields on cell membranes were investigated. In vitro exposure of mouse splenocytes to a single high-voltage pulse resulted in an increase in membrane permeability that was dependent on both the electric field strength and the pulse duration. Exposure to a 2 microseconds, 3.0 kV/cm pulse resulted in the induction of a 1.26 V transmembrane potential, and elicited a 50% loss of intracellular K+. These results are in agreement with previous studies of the effects of pulsed electric fields on erythrocytes and microorganisms. The effect of pulsed electric fields on the functional integrity of lymphocytes was investigated by measuring [3H]thymidine incorporation by cells cultured in the presence and absence of various mitogens following exposure to an electrical pulse. No statistically significant effects on the response of mouse spleen lymphocytes to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide were observed following exposure to 2 microseconds electric pulses at amplitudes of up to 3.5 kV/cm. Exposure to a single 10 microseconds pulse of 2.4-3.5 kV/cm produced a statistically significant reduction in the response of lymphocytes to lipopolysaccharide stimulation that was attributed to cell death.