Selective Effects of Cold Atmospheric Plasma on Bone Sarcoma Cells and Human Osteoblasts

Innovative Therapeutic Approach Targeting Colon Cancer Stem Cells: Transitional Cold Atmospheric Plasma

Transitional cold atmospheric plasma (TCAP) represents a novel technique for generating plasma remotely from a primary source. It consists of a partially nonthermal ionized gas mixture containing charged and neutral particles, photons, and free radicals. In recent years, TCAP has attracted considerable attention in biomedical applications. In order to evaluate colon cancer stem cells' (CCSCs) proliferation, apoptotic induction, inflammatory response, and survival, TCAP was utilized both directly and indirectly in this study. Using argon and helium gases, TCAP was continuously delivered in two stages during the experiment. For direct state, TCAP was irradiated onto CCSCs for 3 and 5 min. In the indirect technique, Matrigel was treated with TCAP for 5 min before the introduction of cells. In vitro assays demonstrated that TCAP exposure significantly reduced the viability of CCSCs; helium gas and direct application had greater impacts than argon. Numerous investigations confirmed the induction of apoptosis, showing that the treated groups had more apoptotic cells and altered cellular structures than controls (****p < 0.0001). A substantial increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was found by analyzing the expression of the Bax and Bcl-2 genes, indicating increased susceptibility to apoptosis (*p = 0.0177 and ***p = 0.0004). The higher efficacy of the direct helium mode was further highlighted by inflammatory marker analysis, which showed a significant reduction in interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 expression in cells directly treated with TCAP-helium compared to TCAP-argon (**p = 0.0015 and ***p = 0.0007). Lastly, the proliferation test, which relies on K i-67 expression, demonstrated a noteworthy decline in all TCAP-treated groups, with the direct helium group exhibiting the most robust impact (**p = 0.0014). Overall, the findings highlight the potential of TCAP, particularly with helium, as a promising approach for selectively targeting CCSCs and providing insights into its therapeutic mechanisms for cancer treatment. TCAP, therefore, emerges as a unique therapeutic strategy with potential applications in cancer stem cell-targeted therapies.

Anti-Tumor Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma-Activated Medium on Synovial Sarcoma: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Background/Objective: Anti-tumor effects of plasma-activated medium (PAM) were demonstrated using various malignant tumors. However, the anti-tumor effect of PAM on synovial sarcoma remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects of PAM on synovial sarcoma and its underlying mechanisms, focusing on the quantitative analyses of both intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell apoptosis. Methods: The human synovial sarcoma cell line HS-SY-II was used to investigate the cell viability after PAM treatment. We investigated the anti-tumor effects and side effects of local PAM injection in a synovial sarcoma xenograft murine model. Moreover, we observed PAM-induced intracellular ROS accumulation and cell apoptosis and assessed the involvement of intracellular ROS in the anti-tumor effects of PAM using an intracellular ROS scavenger. Results: PAM significantly decreased the viability of synovial sarcoma cells compared with untreated Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium. Local PAM injection into a synovial sarcoma xenograft murine model significantly suppressed tumor growth, including tumor volume (p < 0.001) and weight (p = 0.031), without side effects. Regarding anti-tumor mechanisms, PAM induced significant cell apoptosis and intracellular ROS accumulation (p < 0.001). The intracellular ROS scavenger significantly inhibited the anti-tumor effect of PAM (p < 0.001). Conclusions: We confirmed the anti-tumor effects of PAM on synovial sarcoma in vitro and in vivo, as well as the absence of side effects. The underlying mechanism was suggested to involve cell apoptosis induced by intracellular ROS accumulation. Considering the various clinical issues associated with the existing treatments of synovial sarcoma, PAM is a promising new option.

Plasma-activated medium suppresses proliferation and migration of human lung cancer cells by regulating PI3K/AKT-Wnt signaling pathway

The main causes of high mortality in lung cancer patients are the malignant growth and migration of cancer cells. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of low-temperature plasma-activated medium (PAM) treating human lung cancer (HLC). Changes in the levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species both inside and outside the cells were evaluated. Our results showed that prolonged PAM exposure decreased cell viability, raised intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, and hindered cell migration while reducing mitochondrial membrane potential. Protein analysis revealed PAM increased GSK-3β and p-β-catenin expression but decreased PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, p-GSK-3β, Wnt, and β-catenin levels, thereby inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These findings suggest PAM suppresses HLC cells proliferation and migration by blocking the PI3K/AKT-Wnt pathway. The study will provide a valuable theoretical basis for future low-temperature plasma treatment, thereby improving the survival rates and prognosis of lung cancer.

Plasma-generated RONS in liquid transferred into cryo-microneedles patch for skin treatment of melanoma

Malignant melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer. As a promising anti-cancer agent, plasma-activated water (PAW) rich in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) has shown significant potential for melanoma treatment. However, rapid decay of RONS and inefficient delivery of PAW in conventional injection methods limit its practical applications. To address this issue, here we report a new approach for the production of plasma-activated cryo-microneedles (PA-CMNs) patches using custom-designed plasma devices and processes. Our innovation is to incorporate PAW into the PA-CMNs that are fabricated using a fast cryogenic micro-molding method. It is demonstrated that PA-CMNs can be easily inserted into skin to release RONS and slow the decay of RONS thereby prolonging their bioactivity and effectiveness. The new insights into the effective melanoma treatment suggest that the rich mixture of RONS within PA-CMNs prepared by custom-developed hybrid plasma-assisted configuration induces both ferroptosis and apoptosis to selectively kill tumor cells. A significant inhibition of subcutaneous A375 melanoma growth was observed in PA-CMNs-treated tumor-bearing nude mice without any signs of systemic toxicity. The new approach based on PA-CMNs may potentially open new avenues for a broader range of disease treatments.

Cold Physical Plasma Reduces Motility of Various Bone Sarcoma Cells While Remodeling the Cytoskeleton

BACKGROUND/AIM

Cold physical plasma (CPP) has emerged as an effective therapy in oncology by inducing cytotoxic effects in various cancer cells, including chondrosarcoma (CS), Ewing's sarcoma (ES), and osteosarcoma (OS). The current study investigated the impact of CPP on cell motility in CS (CAL-78), ES (A673), and OS (U2-OS) cell lines, focusing on the actin cytoskeleton.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The CASY Cell Counter and Analyzer was used to study cell proliferation and determine the optimal concentrations of fetal calf serum to maintain viability without stimulation of cell proliferation. CellTiter-BlueCell viability assay was used to determine the effects of CPP on the viability of bone sarcoma cells. The Radius assay was used to determine cell migration. Staining for Deoxyribonuclease I, G-actin, and F-actin was used to assay for the effects on the cytoskeleton.

RESULTS

Reductions in cell viability and motility were observed across all cell lines following CPP treatment. CPP induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton, leading to decreased cell motility.

CONCLUSION

CPP effectively reduces the motility of bone sarcoma cells by altering the actin cytoskeleton. These findings underscore CPP's potential as a therapeutic tool for bone sarcomas and highlight the need for further research in this area.

Combined Application of Cold Physical Plasma and Chemotherapeutics against Chondrosarcoma Cells

Chondrosarcoma (CS) is a rare malignant bone sarcoma that primarily affects cartilage cells in the femur and pelvis. While most subtypes exhibit slow growth with a very good prognosis, some aggressive subtypes have a poorer overall survival. CS is known for its resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, leaving surgery as the sole effective therapeutic option. Cold physical plasma (CPP) has been explored in vitro as a potential therapy, demonstrating positive anti-tumor effects on CS cells. This study investigated the synergistic effects of combining CPP with cytostatics on CS cells. The chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, doxorubicin, and vincristine were applied to two CS cell lines (CAL-78 and SW1353). After determining their IC20 and IC50, they were combined with CPP in both cell lines to assess their impact on the cell proliferation, viability, metabolism, and apoptosis. This combined approach significantly reduced the cell proliferation and viability while increasing the apoptosis signals compared to cytostatic therapy alone. The combination of CPP and chemotherapeutic drugs shows promise in targeting chemoresistant CS cells, potentially improving the prognosis for patients in clinical settings.

Plasma Applications in Biomedicine: A Groundbreaking Intersection between Physics and Life Sciences

Plasma applications in biomedicine represent a groundbreaking intersection between physics and life sciences, unveiling novel approaches to disease treatment and tissue regeneration [...].

Effective combination of cold physical plasma and chemotherapy against Ewing sarcoma cells in vitro

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone tumor in children and adolescents and is highly malignant. Although the new chemotherapy has significantly improved the survival rate for ES from about 10 to 75%, the survival rate for metastatic tumors remains around 30%. This treatment is often associated with various side effects that contribute to the suffering of the patients. Cold physical plasma (CPP), whether used alone or in combination with current chemotherapy, is considered a promising adjunctive tool in cancer treatment. This study aims to investigate the synergistic effects of CPP in combination with cytostatic chemotherapeutic agents that are not part of current ES therapy. Two different ES cell lines, RD-ES and A673, were treated with the determined IC20 concentrations of the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin and methotrexate (MTX) in combination with CPP. The effects on population doubling, cell viability, and apoptotic processes within these cell lines were assessed. This combination therapy has led to a reduction of population doubling and cell viability, as well as an increase in apoptotic activity in cells compared to CPP monotherapy. The results of this study provide evidence that combining CPP with non-common chemotherapy drugs such as MTX and CIS in the treatment of ES enhances the anticancer effects of these drugs. These findings open up new possibilities for the effective use of these drugs against ES.