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Selective cytotoxic effect of non-thermal micro-DBD plasma
Byung-Su Kwon1, Eun Ha Choi, Boksoon Chang
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate school, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
Physical Biology
|September 8, 2016
Summary
Non-thermal plasma selectively kills cervical cancer cells, including HeLa and SiHa, through apoptosis. This novel cancer treatment shows differential effects between cancer and normal cells, and even among cancer cell types.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Non-thermal plasma is an emerging technology for cancer therapy.
- Micro-dielectric barrier discharge (micro-DBD) plasma offers a potential modality for targeted cancer treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the selective cytotoxic effects of micro-DBD plasma on cervical cancer cells.
- To compare the plasma's effects on different cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, SiHa) and a human fibroblast cell line (HFB).
Main Methods:
- Treatment of HeLa, SiHa, and HFB cell lines with micro-DBD plasma.
- Assessment of cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis.
- Analysis of gene expression changes, focusing on apoptosis-related genes.
Main Results:
- Micro-DBD plasma induced dose-dependent apoptotic cell death in all treated cell lines.
- Plasma exhibited selective inhibition of proliferation in cervical cancer cells compared to fibroblasts.
- SiHa cells showed significantly greater proliferation inhibition than HeLa cells.
- Gene expression analysis revealed significant changes in cervical cancer cells versus fibroblasts, with enrichment of apoptosis-related genes in SiHa cells.
Conclusions:
- Non-thermal micro-DBD plasma demonstrates selective cytotoxicity against cervical cancer cells.
- Differential responses observed between cancer cell lines suggest potential for tailored plasma-based therapies.
- Gene expression changes correlate with observed differential cytotoxic effects, providing mechanistic insights.
