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Updated: May 11, 2026
Basic Research in Plasma Medicine - A Throughput Approach from Liquids to Cells
Published on: November 17, 2017
Influence of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma on cellular structures and processes in human keratinocytes
Susanne Blackert1, Beate Haertel, Kristian Wende
1Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Strasse 15a, Greifswald, Germany. susanne.blackert@uni-greifswald.de
Background:
The use of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma in dermatology to improve the healing of chronic wounds is a promising application. The antimicrobial properties of physical plasma offer on the one hand the killing of bacteria, which are often a problem in chronic wounds. On the other hand, plasma can activate cells which are involved in the wound closure.
Objective:
To guarantee a safe application it is essential to understand basic interactions between physical plasma and human skin cells.
Methods:
In our study, human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were directly plasma treated with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma source and effects on viability, DNA, cell cycle, intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species and induction of apoptosis were observed.
Results:
A treatment time-dependent loss of recovered adherent HaCaT cells after 24h and a linear increase of DNA damage were observed, which was no longer evident 24h after plasma stimulation, except for long treatment times. An accumulation of HaCaT cells in G2/M phase and a decrease in the G1 phase was caused by DBD plasma. The increasing formation of intracellular ROS is also attributed to plasma treatment. In contrast to other studies we did not find clear evidences for apoptosis in adherent HaCaT cells. A culture medium exchange subsequently after plasma treatment weakened the observed effects.
Conclusion:
DBD plasma treatment resulted in oxidative stress in human keratinocytes which is related to deficient cell performance.
