Tumor cytotoxicity and immunogenicity of a novel V-jet neon plasma source compared to the kINPen

Abstract

Recent research indicated the potential of cold physical plasma in cancer therapy. The plethora of plasma-derived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) mediate diverse antitumor effects after eliciting oxidative stress in cancer cells. We aimed at exploiting this principle using a newly designed dual-jet neon plasma source (Vjet) to treat colorectal cancer cells. A treatment time-dependent ROS/RNS generation induced oxidation, growth retardation, and cell death within 3D tumor spheroids were found. In TUM-CAM, a semi in vivo model, the Vjet markedly reduced vascularized tumors' growth, but an increase of tumor cell immunogenicity or uptake by dendritic cells was not observed. By comparison, the argon-driven single jet kINPen, known to mediate anticancer effects in vitro, in vivo, and in patients, generated less ROS/RNS and terminal cell death in spheroids. In the TUM-CAM model, however, the kINPen was equivalently effective and induced a stronger expression of immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD) markers, leading to increased phagocytosis of kINPen but not Vjet plasma-treated tumor cells by dendritic cells. Moreover, the Vjet was characterized according to the requirements of the DIN-SPEC 91315. Our results highlight the plasma device-specific action on cancer cells for evaluating optimal discharges for plasma cancer treatment.

Patient-Derived Human Basal and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tissues Display Apoptosis and Immunomodulation following Gas Plasma Exposure with a Certified Argon Jet

“…The exposure distance from the nozzle to the liquid target (as common in cell culture experiments) was 15 mm. The main reactive species being generated in the kINPen plasma gas phase and treated liquids have been thoroughly described before [ 76 , 78 , 79 ]. As a control, the samples were exposed to argon gas alone.…”

ROS Pleiotropy in Melanoma and Local Therapy with Physical Modalities

“…Intriguingly, we were also the first to report an abscopal effect in a model of breast cancer where the tumor size of an untreated murine flank decreased in parallel to that of the treated flank, suggesting engagement of antitumor immunity using gas plasma-derived therapeutic ROS [233], as suggested before using human NK cell-mediated melanoma killing in vitro [234]. Gas plasma technology is safe and virtually free of side effects [235][236][237]. Several devices are marketed in Europe based on accreditation as medical device class IIa [238].…”

Research Advances and Application Prospect of Low-Temperature Plasma in Tumor Immunotherapy

“…They found that the maturity and antigen presentation of DCs were enhanced, but their viability was not affected. Miebach et al [26] recently reported that colorectal cancer cells treated with an argon-based plasma jet upregulated the expressions of CD80 and CD86 of monocytederived DCs (moDCs) in co-culture. Tomic et al [27] demonstrated that PAM-A375 lysate potentiated the maturation of DCs by up-regulating the expressions of CD83 and CD86.…”