Portable Cold Atmospheric Plasma Patch-Mediated Skin Anti-Inflammatory Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Dermatology
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Clinical applications of plasma technology are limited by several challenges.
• Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) offers a promising approach, particularly for dermatological conditions.
• Existing treatments for inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis often have significant side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) patch for treating skin diseases, specifically psoriasis.
• To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of the CAP patch on psoriatic lesions.
• To assess the potential of the CAP patch as a combination therapy to reduce side effects of existing drugs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a CAP patch utilizing surface dielectric barrier discharge on a flexible polymer film.
• Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) via the CAP patch.
• Evaluation of the CAP patch's effect on psoriatic lesions, focusing on keratinocyte differentiation and tight junctions.
• Analysis to differentiate the effects of ROS/RNS from the electric field generated by the patch.

Main Results:

• The CAP patch was successfully fabricated and applied to the lesion area of psoriasis.
• The CAP patch induced calcium channel opening in keratinocytes, normalizing differentiation and restoring tight junctions.
• The therapeutic effects were attributed to ROS/RNS generation, not the electric field.
• Psoriatic symptoms were alleviated by the CAP patch treatment.

Conclusions:

• The developed portable CAP patch is a viable tool for treating inflammatory skin disorders, particularly psoriasis.
• The CAP patch's mechanism involves restoring keratinocyte function through ROS/RNS induction.
• This technology shows potential as an adjunct therapy, possibly reducing the side effects associated with conventional psoriasis treatments.