J Appl Biomed 11:235-242, 2013 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-012-0042-7

Effects of therapeutic ultrasound on the nuclear envelope and nuclear pore complexes

Naděžda Vaškovicová^1,2,*, Zdena Druckmüllerová³, Roman Janisch⁴, Jiřina Škorpíková¹, Vojtěch Mornstein¹

¹ Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

² Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

³ Institute of Physical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic

⁴ Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

The effects of acoustic waves on membrane structures, and any resulting consequences of this treatment on membrane subunit structures, remain poorly understood, as are the principals of related clinical effects. With a focus on morphological changes in the nuclear envelope, the current study presents detailed observations of membrane structures exposed to therapeutic ultrasound. Ultrasound treatment most commonly resulted in distinct changes in the distribution of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and mean NPC number per unit area after 30 min of repair, as well as alterations in NPC diameters on the protoplasmic face of fractured nuclear membranes after 10 min of repair. The greatest effects of ultrasound on nuclear envelope structure and NPCs were not to appear immediately, but became evident after repair processes were initiated. Results from the current study may contribute to the general view on the biophysical effects of therapeutic ultrasound on cell morphology and, particularly, the understanding of this effect in relation to the nuclear envelope.

Keywords: HL-60 cells; ultrasound biophysical effect; image analysis; nuclear pore distribution; pore diameter; freeze-etching; nuclear envelope

Received: April 5, 2013; Revised: May 10, 2013; Published: July 31, 2013  Show citation