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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biophysics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2022) | Viewed by 28176

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Prof. Dr. Nagendra Kumar Kaushik

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Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
Interests: plasma medicine; cancers; immune modulations; cell signaling; molecular responses; biomaterials; nanomaterials; virus biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Eun Ha Choi

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Guest Editor

Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
Interests: atmospheric pressure plasma; plasma physics; reactive oxygen species; reactive nitrogen species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plasma medicine is an interdisciplinary field that combines the principles of plasma physics, material science, bioscience, and medicine toward the development of therapeutic strategies. The study of plasma medicine has yielded the development of new treatment opportunities in medical and dental sciences.

The objective of this Special Issue is to present research underlying nonthermal gas plasma therapeutic methods useful in medicine, skin, aesthetics, food processing, decontamination, sterilization, and, in the current scenario, challenges and perspectives in biomedical sciences. Plasma medicine researchers are focused on basic studies on the characterization of the bioplasma sources applicable to living cells, especially to the human body, and fundamental research on mutual interactions between bioplasma and organic–inorganic, liquid, and bio- or nanomaterials. The knowledge that has arisen from studies in plasma medicine may translate into innovations to treat patients in daily clinics. Plasma is also used in many ways in the field of agriculture and food processing. Although the processes that accompany the development of plasma-based applications are known, the underlying molecular basis is less understood. For that, knowing new mechanisms and molecular events that participate in this plasma-induced biological process is fundamental to understand its development and would allow having new targets for biological applications or new treatment strategies.

With this Special Issue of IJMS, we aim to offer a platform for high-quality publications on nonthermal plasma-based new mechanisms and molecular responses.

Prof. Dr. Nagendra Kumar Kaushik
Prof. Dr. Eun Ha Choi
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

plasma medicine
nonthermal plasma
biomaterials
cell biology
cancer treatments
immuno-modulations
stem cells
nanomaterials
plasma agriculture
food processing
virus inactivation
antimicrobial activities

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Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research 2.0 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (3 articles)

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Editorial

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6 pages, 214 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research

by Nagendra Kumar Kaushik and Eun Ha Choi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(11), 9174; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24119174 - 24 May 2023

Viewed by 966

Abstract

This special issue delivers an applied and basic platform for exchanging advanced approaches or research performance that link the plasma physics research in cell biology, cancer treatments, immunomodulation, stem cell differentiation, nanomaterial synthesis, and their applications, agriculture and food processing, microbial inactivation, water [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

Research

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11 pages, 3066 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Nanosecond Pulsed Currents on Directions of Cell Elongation and Migration through Time-Lapse Analysis

by Hayato Tada, Satoshi Uehara, Chia-Hsing Chang, Ken-ichi Yano and Takehiko Sato

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3826; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24043826 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1150

Abstract

It is generally known that cells elongate perpendicularly to an electric field and move in the direction of the field when an electric field is applied. We have shown that irradiation of plasma-simulated nanosecond pulsed currents elongates cells, but the direction of cell elongation and migration has not been elucidated. In this study, a new time-lapse observation device that can apply nanosecond pulsed currents to cells was constructed, and software to analyze cell migration was created to develop a device that can sequentially observe cell behavior. The results showed nanosecond pulsed currents elongate cells but do not affect the direction of elongation and migration. It was also found the behavior of cells changes depending on the conditions of the current application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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18 pages, 6552 KiB

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Plasma-Generated Nitric Oxide Water Mediates Environmentally Transmitted Pathogenic Bacterial Inactivation via Intracellular Nitrosative Stress

by Shweta B. Borkar, Manorma Negi, Neha Kaushik, Shaik Abdul Munnaf, Linh Nhat Nguyen, Eun Ha Choi and Nagendra Kumar Kaushik

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 1901; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24031901 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1750

Abstract

Over time, the proportion of resistant bacteria will increase. This is a major concern. Therefore, effective and biocompatible therapeutic strategies against these bacteria are urgently needed. Non-thermal plasma has been exhaustively characterized for its antibacterial activity. This study aims to investigate the inactivation efficiency and mechanisms of plasma-generated nitric oxide water (PG-NOW) on pathogenic water, air, soil, and foodborne Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Using a colony-forming unit assay, we found that PG-NOW treatment effectively inhibited the growth of bacteria. Moreover, the intracellular nitric oxide (NO) accumulation was evaluated by 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM DA) staining. The reduction of viable cells unambiguously indicates the anti-microbial effect of PG-NOW. The soxR and soxS genes are associated with nitrosative stress, and oxyR regulation corresponds to oxidative stress in bacterial cells. To support the nitrosative effect mediated by PG-NOW, we have further assessed the soxRS and oxyR gene expressions after treatment. Accordingly, soxRS expression was enhanced, whereas the oxyR expression was decreased following PG-NOW treatment. The disruption of cell morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. In conclusion, our findings furnish evidence of an initiation point for the further progress and development of PG-NOW-based antibacterial treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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15 pages, 3181 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Sensitivity of Melanoma Cells and Their Non-Cancerous Counterpart to Cold Atmospheric Plasma-Induced Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species

by Sun-Ja Kim, Min-Jeong Seong, Jong-Jin Mun, Jin-Hee Bae, Hea-Min Joh and Tae-Hun Chung

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 14092; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms232214092 - 15 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1294

Abstract

Despite continuous progress in therapy, melanoma is one of the most aggressive and malignant human tumors, often relapsing and metastasizing to almost all organs. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel anticancer tool that utilizes abundant reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) being deposited on the target cells and tissues. CAP-induced differential effects between non-cancerous and cancer cells were comparatively examined. Melanoma and non-cancerous skin fibroblast cells (counterparts; both cell types were isolated from the same patient) were used for plasma–cell interactions. The production of intracellular RONS, such as nitric oxide (NO), hydroxyl radical (•OH), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), increased remarkably only in melanoma cancer cells. It was observed that cancer cells morphed from spread to round cell shapes after plasma exposure, suggesting that they were more affected than non-cancerous cells in the same plasma condition. Immediately after both cell types were treated with plasma, there were no differences in the amount of extracellular H₂O₂ production, while Hanks’ balanced salt solution-containing cancer cells had lower concentrations of H₂O₂ than that of non-cancerous cells at 1 h after treatment. The melanoma cells seemed to respond to CAP treatment with a greater rise in RONS and a higher consumption rate of H₂O₂ than homologous non-cancerous cells. These results suggest that differential sensitivities of non-cancerous skin and melanoma cells to CAP-induced RONS can enable the applicability of CAP in anticancer therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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15 pages, 3914 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cold Atmospheric Plasma Jet Treatment Improves Human Keratinocyte Migration and Wound Closure Capacity without Causing Cellular Oxidative Stress

by Aurélie Marches, Emily Clement, Géraldine Albérola, Marie-Pierre Rols, Sarah Cousty, Michel Simon and Nofel Merbahi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10650; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms231810650 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1742

Abstract

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) is an emerging technology with great potential for biomedical applications such as sterilizing equipment and antitumor strategies. CAP has also been shown to improve skin wound healing in vivo, but the biological mechanisms involved are not well known. Our study assessed a possible effect of a direct helium jet CAP treatment on keratinocytes, in both the immortalized N/TERT-1 human cell line and primary keratinocytes obtained from human skin samples. The cells were covered with 200 µL of phosphate buffered saline and exposed to the helium plasma jet for 10–120 s. In our experimental conditions, micromolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite and nitrate were produced. We showed that long-time CAP treatments (≥60 s) were cytotoxic, reduced keratinocyte migration, upregulated the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and induced oxidative cell stress. In contrast, short-term CAP treatments (<60 s) were not cytotoxic, did not affect keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, and did not induce any changes in mitochondria, but they did accelerate wound closure in vitro by improving keratinocyte migration. In conclusion, these results suggest that helium-based CAP treatments improve wound healing by stimulating keratinocyte migration. The study confirms that CAP could be a novel therapeutic method to treat recalcitrant wounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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19 pages, 3819 KiB

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Plasma Promotes Fungal Cellulase Production by Regulating the Levels of Intracellular NO and Ca²⁺

by Nan-Nan Yu, Wirinthip Ketya, Eun-Ha Choi and Gyungsoon Park

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6668; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23126668 - 15 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1471

Abstract

For the industrial-scale production of useful enzymes by microorganisms, technological development is required for overcoming a technical bottleneck represented by poor efficiency in the induction of enzyme gene expression and secretion. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet to improve the production efficiency of cellulolytic enzymes in Neurospora crassa, a filamentous fungus. The total activity of cellulolytic enzymes and protein concentration were significantly increased (1.1~1.2 times) in media containing Avicel 24–72 h after 2 and 5 min of plasma treatment. The mRNA levels of four cellulolytic enzymes in fungal hyphae grown in media with Avicel were significantly increased (1.3~17 times) 2–4 h after a 5 min of plasma treatment. The levels of intracellular NO and Ca²⁺ were increased in plasma-treated fungal hyphae grown in Avicel media after 48 h, and the removal of intracellular NO decreased the activity of cellulolytic enzymes in media and the level of vesicles in fungal hyphae. Our data suggest that plasma treatment can promote the transcription and secretion of cellulolytic enzymes into the culture media in the presence of Avicel (induction condition) by enhancing the intracellular level of NO and Ca²⁺. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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12 pages, 1641 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanistic Insight into Permeation of Plasma-Generated Species from Vacuum into Water Bulk

by Jamoliddin Razzokov, Sunnatullo Fazliev, Akbar Kodirov, Pankaj AttrI, Zhitong Chen and Masaharu Shiratani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 6330; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23116330 - 06 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2306

Abstract

Due to their potential benefits, cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs), as biotechnological tools, have been used for various purposes, especially in medical and agricultural applications. The main effect of CAP is associated with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). In order to deliver these RONS to the target, direct or indirect treatment approaches have been employed. The indirect method is put into practice via plasma-activated water (PAW). Despite many studies being available in the field, the permeation mechanisms of RONS into water at the molecular level still remain elusive. Here, we performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the permeation of RONS from vacuum into the water interface and bulk. The calculated free energy profiles unravel the most favourable accumulation positions of RONS. Our results, therefore, provide fundamental insights into PAW and RONS chemistry to increase the efficiency of PAW in biological applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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17 pages, 8495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight into the Impact of Oxidative Stress on the Barrier Properties of Lipid Bilayer Models

by Zahra Nasri, Mohsen Ahmadi, Johanna Striesow, Mehdi Ravandeh, Thomas von Woedtke and Kristian Wende

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 5932; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23115932 - 25 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1817

Abstract

As a new field of oxidative stress-based therapy, cold physical plasma is a promising tool for several biomedical applications due to its potential to create a broad diversity of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Although proposed, the impact of plasma-derived RONS on the cell membrane lipids and properties is not fully understood. For this purpose, the changes in the lipid bilayer functionality under oxidative stress generated by an argon plasma jet (kINPen) were investigated by electrochemical techniques. In addition, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the plasma-induced modifications on the model lipids. Various asymmetric bilayers mimicking the structure and properties of the erythrocyte cell membrane were transferred onto a gold electrode surface by Langmuir-Blodgett/Langmuir-Schaefer deposition techniques. A strong impact of cholesterol on membrane permeabilization by plasma-derived species was revealed. Moreover, the maintenance of the barrier properties is influenced by the chemical composition of the head group. Mainly the head group size and its hydrogen bonding capacities are relevant, and phosphatidylcholines are significantly more susceptible than phosphatidylserines and other lipid classes, underlining the high relevance of this lipid class in membrane dynamics and cell physiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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16 pages, 3198 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inactivation of E. coli, S. aureus, and Bacteriophages in Biofilms by Humidified Air Plasma

by Xinni Liu, Zhishang Wang, Jiaxin Li, Yiming Wang, Yuan Sun, Di Dou, Xinlei Liang, Jiang Wu, Lili Wang, Yongping Xu and Dongping Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4856; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23094856 - 27 Apr 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1693

Abstract

In this study, humidified air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was used to inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and bacteriophages in biofilms containing DNA, NaCl, carbohydrates, and proteins. The humidified DBD plasma was very effective in the inactivation of microbes in the (≤1.0 μm) biofilms. The number of surviving E. coli, S. aureus, and bacteriophages in the biofilms was strongly dependent on the constituent and thickness of the biofilms and was greatly reduced when the plasma treatment time increased from 5 s to 150 s. Our analysis shows that the UV irradiation was not responsible for the inactivation of microbes in biofilms. The short-lived RONS generated in the humidified air DBD plasma were not directly involved in the inactivation process; however, they recombined or reacted with other species to generate the long-lived RONS. Long-lived RONS diffused into the biofilms to generate very active species, such as ONOOH and OH. This study indicates that the geminated NO₂ and OH pair formed due to the homolysis of ONOOH can cause the synergistic oxidation of various organic molecules in the aqueous solution. Proteins in the biofilm were highly resistant to the inactivation of microbes in biofilms, which is presumably due to the existence of the unstable functional groups in the proteins. The unsaturated fatty acids, cysteine-rich proteins, and sulfur–methyl thioether groups in the proteins were easily oxidized by the geminated NO₂ and OH pair. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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24 pages, 8484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RNA Sequencing of Arabidopsis thaliana Seedlings after Non-Thermal Plasma-Seed Treatment Reveals Upregulation in Plant Stress and Defense Pathways

by Alexandra Waskow, Anthony Guihur, Alan Howling and Ivo Furno

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(6), 3070; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23063070 - 12 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3048

Abstract

Not all agricultural practices are sustainable; however, non-thermal plasma treatment of seeds may be an eco-friendly alternative to improve macroscopic plant growth parameters. Despite the numerous successful results of plasma-seed treatments reported in the literature, there is a large gap in our understanding of how non-thermal plasma treatments affect seeds, especially due to the plethora of physical, chemical, and biological variables. This study uses RNA sequencing to characterize the changes in gene transcription in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. seeds 6 days after exposure to surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment. Here, we provide an overview of all pathways that are differentially expressed where few genes are upregulated and many genes are downregulated. Our results reveal that plasma treatment time is a parameter that can activate different pathways in plant defense. An 80 s treatment upregulates the glucosinolate pathway, a defense response to insects and herbivores to deter feeding, whereas a shorter treatment of 60 s upregulates the phenylpropanoid pathway, which reinforces the cell wall with lignin and produces antimicrobial compounds, a defense response to bacterial or fungal plant pathogens. It seems that plasma elicits a wounding response from the seed in addition to redox changes. This suggests that plasma treatment can be potentially applied in agriculture to protect plants against abiotic and biotic stresses without discharging residues into the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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17 pages, 4628 KiB

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Biocompatible Gas Plasma Treatment Affects Secretion Profiles but Not Osteogenic Differentiation in Patient-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

by Maximilian Fischer, Janosch Schoon, Eric Freund, Lea Miebach, Klaus-Dieter Weltmann, Sander Bekeschus and Georgi I. Wassilew

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 2038; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23042038 - 12 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1895

Abstract

Cold physical plasma (CPP), a partially ionized gas that simultaneously generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, is suggested to provide advantages in regenerative medicine. Intraoperative CPP therapy targeting pathologies related to diminished bone quality could be promising in orthopedic surgery. Assessment of a clinically approved plasma jet regarding cellular effects on primary bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) from relevant arthroplasty patient cohorts is needed to establish CPP-based therapeutic approaches for bone regeneration. Thus, the aim of this study was to derive biocompatible doses of CPP and subsequent evaluation of human primary hBM-MSCs’ osteogenic and immunomodulatory potential. Metabolic activity and cell proliferation were affected in a treatment-time-dependent manner. Morphometric high content imaging analyses revealed a decline in mitochondria and nuclei content and increased cytoskeletal compactness following CPP exposure. Employing a nontoxic exposure regime, investigation on osteogenic differentiation did not enhance osteogenic capacity of hBM-MSCs. Multiplex analysis of major hBM-MSC cytokines, chemokines and growth factors revealed an anti-inflammatory, promatrix-assembling and osteoclast-regulating secretion profile following CPP treatment and osteogenic stimulus. This study can be noted as the first in vitro study addressing the influence of CPP on hBM-MSCs from individual donors of an arthroplasty clientele. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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18 pages, 4419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cold Atmospheric Plasma Does Not Affect Stellate Cells Phenotype in Pancreatic Cancer Tissue in Ovo

by Angela Privat-Maldonado, Ruben Verloy, Edgar Cardenas Delahoz, Abraham Lin, Steve Vanlanduit, Evelien Smits and Annemie Bogaerts

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 1954; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23041954 - 10 Feb 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2762

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a challenging neoplastic disease, mainly due to the development of resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is an alternative technology that can eliminate cancer cells through oxidative damage, as shown in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. However, how CAP affects the pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), key players in the invasion and metastasis of PDAC, is poorly understood. This study aims to determine the effect of an anti-PDAC CAP treatment on PSCs tissue developed in ovo using mono- and co-cultures of RLT-PSC (PSCs) and Mia PaCa-2 cells (PDAC). We measured tissue reduction upon CAP treatment and mRNA expression of PSC activation markers and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling factors via qRT-PCR. Protein expression of selected markers was confirmed via immunohistochemistry. CAP inhibited growth in Mia PaCa-2 and co-cultured tissue, but its effectiveness was reduced in the latter, which correlates with reduced ki67 levels. CAP did not alter the mRNA expression of PSC activation and ECM remodelling markers. No changes in MMP2 and MMP9 expression were observed in RLT-PSCs, but small changes were observed in Mia PaCa-2 cells. Our findings support the ability of CAP to eliminate PDAC cells, without altering the PSCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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15 pages, 3801 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nitrate Capture Investigation in Plasma-Activated Water and Its Antifungal Effect on Cryptococcus pseudolongus Cells

by Geon Joon Lee, Pradeep Lamichhane, Seong Jae Ahn, Seong Hwan Kim, Manesh Ashok Yewale, Choe Earn Choong, Min Jang and Eun Ha Choi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 12773; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222312773 - 26 Nov 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2043

Abstract

This research investigated the capture of nitrate by magnesium ions in plasma-activated water (PAW) and its antifungal effect on the cell viability of the newly emerged mushroom pathogen Cryptococcus pseudolongus. Optical emission spectra of the plasma jet exhibited several emission bands attributable to plasma-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The plasma was injected directly into deionized water (DW) with and without an immersed magnesium block. Plasma treatment of DW produced acidic PAW. However, plasma-activated magnesium water (PA-Mg-W) tended to be neutralized due to the reduction in plasma-generated hydrogen ions by electrons released from the zero-valent magnesium. Optical absorption and Raman spectra confirmed that nitrate ions were the dominant reactive species in the PAW and PA-Mg-W. Nitrate had a concentration-dependent antifungal effect on the tested fungal cells. We observed that the free nitrate content could be controlled to be lower in the PA-Mg-W than in the PAW due to the formation of nitrate salts by the magnesium ions. Although both the PAW and PA-Mg-W had antifungal effects on C. pseudolongus, their effectiveness differed, with cell viability higher in the PA-Mg-W than in the PAW. This study demonstrates that the antifungal effect of PAW could be manipulated using nitrate capture. The wide use of plasma therapy for problematic fungus control is challenging because fungi have rigid cell wall structures in different fungal groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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Review

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38 pages, 14652 KiB

Open AccessReview

Open Questions in Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review

by Vittoria Perrotti, Vito Carlo Alberto Caponio, Lorenzo Lo Muzio, Eun Ha Choi, Maria Carmela Di Marcantonio, Mariangela Mazzone, Nagendra Kumar Kaushik and Gabriella Mincione

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10238; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms231810238 - 06 Sep 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2580

Abstract

Over the past decade, we witnessed a promising application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in cancer therapy. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an exhaustive state of the art of CAP employed for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC), a tumor whose late diagnosis, local recurrence, distant metastases, and treatment failure are the main causes of patients’ death. Specifically, the characteristics and settings of the CAP devices and the in vitro and in vivo treatment protocols were summarized to meet the urgent need for standardization. Its molecular mechanisms of action, as well as the successes and pitfalls of current CAP applications in HNC, were discussed. Finally, the interesting emerging preclinical hypotheses that warrant further clinical investigation have risen. A total of 24 studies were included. Most studies used a plasma jet device (54.2%). Argon resulted as the mostly employed working gas (33.32%). Direct and indirect plasma application was reported in 87.5% and 20.8% of studies, respectively. In vitro investigations were 79.17%, most of them concerned with direct treatment (78.94%). Only eight (33.32%) in vivo studies were found; three were conducted in mice, and five on human beings. CAP showed pro-apoptotic effects more efficiently in tumor cells than in normal cells by altering redox balance in a way that oxidative distress leads to cell death. In preclinical studies, it exhibited efficacy and tolerability. Results from this systematic review pointed out the current limitations of translational application of CAP in the urge of standardization of the current protocols while highlighting promising effects as supporting treatment in HNC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Bioscience and Medicine Molecular Research)

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