Generation of an alternative electric field source and investigation of SH-SY5Y cell responses

The limited efficacy and serious side effects of conventional methods of cancer treatment necessitate the investigation of potential therapeutic approaches and their incorporation into treatment protocols. One of the most remarkable of these approaches is that mid-frequency (100-500 kHz) alternating electric fields (AEA) exhibit anti-mitotic effects on cancer cells, inhibiting cell division and leading to cell death. In this thesis, we aimed to design and fabricate an AEA-induced in vitro exposure system and to investigate the cell-field interaction in neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) by preliminary cell culture tests. For this purpose, an in vitro exposure system capable of generating signals with a frequency of 100- 500 kHz and an amplitude range of 1.5-11.63 Vpk/cm was realized. The production stages of the system included the creation of an alternating electric field source, the design of homogeneous electric field generation circuits and the development of the necessary circuits for the selection of the electric field direction. Then, preliminary cell culture tests were performed and SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to an alternating electric field (200 kHz, 2.13 Vpk/cm amplitude, 48 hours) polarized in two different directions (North-South, N-S; East West, D-W). According to the cell viability test results, statistically significant decreases of 60.8% (p≤0.001) in the N-S group and 34% (p≤0.0001) in the D-B group were detected compared to the control group. These results were confirmed by optical microscope images. It was also found that AEA applied in the D-B direction decreased cell viability more than in the N-S direction (p≤0.01). These findings indicate that there are different effects on cell viability depending on the applied orientation. In conclusion, cell viability tests confirmed that the designed and fabricated alternating electric field system can be effectively used in in vitro studies