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Membrane perturbation by an external electric field: a mechanism to permit molecular uptake

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Abstract

Electropermeabilisation is a well established physical method, based on the application of electric pulses, which induces the transient permeabilisation of the cell membrane. External molecules, otherwise nonpermeant, can enter the cell. Electropermeabilisation is now in use for the delivery of a large variety of molecules, as drugs and nucleic acids. Therefore, the method has great potential in the fields of cancer treatment and gene therapy. However many open questions about the underlying physical mechanisms involved remain to be answered or fully elucidated. In particular, the induced changes by the effects of the applied field on the membrane structure are still far from being fully understood. The present review focuses on questions related to the current theories, i.e. the basic physical processes responsible for the electropermeabilisation of lipid membranes. It also addresses recent findings using molecular dynamics simulations as well as experimental studies of the effect of the field on membrane components.

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Abbreviations

PC:

Phosphatidyl-Choline

PS:

Phosphatidyl-Serine

PE:

Phosphatidyl-Ethanolamine

SM:

Sphingomyelin

DOPC:

1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine

DOPS:

1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphoethanolamine

NBD:

7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Association Française contre les Myopathies.

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  1. C. Favard

    Present address: Institut Fresnel - CNRS UMR 6133, Campus de Saint Jérôme, av. Escadrille Normandie, 13397, Marseille Cedex 20, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale - CNRS UMR 5089, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

    J.-M. Escoffre, M. Hubert, M.-P. Rols & C. Favard

  2. Laboratoire de Physique Théorique - CNRS UMR 5152, IRSAMC, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

    D. S. Dean

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  1. J.-M. Escoffre
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Correspondence to M.-P. Rols or C. Favard.

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Escoffre, JM., Dean, D.S., Hubert, M. et al. Membrane perturbation by an external electric field: a mechanism to permit molecular uptake. Eur Biophys J 36, 973–983 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-007-0194-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-007-0194-7

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