Cold Atmospheric Plasma as a Potential Disease-Modifying Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, inflammation, and bone remodeling.
• Current OA therapies offer symptomatic relief but do not halt disease progression.
• Oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways are key drivers of OA pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review preclinical evidence on cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment.
• To explore CAP's potential as a disease-modifying or adjuvant therapy for OA.
• To identify translational challenges and future research directions for CAP in OA.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing preclinical studies on CAP in various disease models.
• Analysis of CAP's mechanisms of action, including RONS generation and modulation of signaling pathways.
• Discussion of translational hurdles for clinical application in OA.

Main Results:

• CAP can suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhance antioxidant defenses.
• CAP has shown potential in models of rheumatoid arthritis, wound healing, and diabetes.
• Evidence suggests CAP may influence macrophage polarization and promote tissue repair.

Conclusions:

• Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) presents a promising multimodal therapeutic approach for osteoarthritis (OA).
• CAP's ability to modulate redox-sensitive pathways and inflammatory processes warrants further investigation for OA.
• Addressing challenges in standardization and delivery is crucial for translating CAP therapy to clinical OA treatment.