Cold plasma-based control of the activation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells

Abstract

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has shown strong anti-cancer capability in vitro and in vivo. The interaction between CAP and cancer cells build the foundation to understand the anticancer effect of a direct CAP treatment. The CAP-based activation phenomenon is a key factor to understand the CAP cancer treatment. The CAP-treated pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells instantaneously entered a specific activation state, in which these cancer cells become very sensitive to the cytotoxicity of both reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. Here, we present a roadmap of control the basic operational parameters of the CAP jet (the helium flow rate, the discharge voltage, and the discharge frequency) on the activation. Among three parameters, the discharge voltage shows the largest impact on the activation phenomenon. The maximum activation effect occurred when the discharge voltage reached a medium level. A 0D chemical simulation revealed that such maximum activation effect may be due to the maximum densities of several short-lived reactive species in CAP jet at a certain level of discharge voltage.

Cold atmospheric plasma cancer treatment, direct versus indirect approaches

“…The basic operating parameters of CAP source can be manipulated to obtain different levels of cellular activation following direct CAP treatment. 115 Parameters such as the flow rate of the carrying gas (Helium), the discharge voltage, and the discharge frequency each had an impact on the activation of pancreatic cancer cells. It was found that the greatest impact on cell activation was seen with alteration of the discharge voltage.…”

Multi-Modal Biological Destruction by Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Capability and Mechanism

“…On one hand, the strong micromolecular cells-based H 2 O 2 generation has been observed in directly CAP-treated cancer cells [ 168 , 169 , 170 ]. On the other hand, directly CAP-treated cancer cells enter the activation state and become very sensitive to the cytotoxicity of long-lived reactive species like H 2 O 2 and NO 2 - [ 171 , 172 ]. These two cellular responses do not appear in indirect CAP treatment [ 173 ].…”

On the selective killing of cold atmospheric plasma cancer treatment: Status and beyond

“…In that case, pancreatic cancer cells were sensitized to the cytotoxicity of long-lived reactive species, such as H 2 O 2 and NO 2 − . [148,149] The activation mechanism is also unknown. However, the short-lived reactive species and physical factors rather than long-lived reactive species may cause the activation in direct treatment.…”