Cold Atmospheric Plasma discharged in Water and its Potential Use in Cancer Therapy

TL;DR

This study explores the use of cold atmospheric plasma discharged in water as an indirect treatment method for breast cancer cells, showing argon plasma's superior ability to induce apoptosis via reactive species.

Contribution

It introduces a novel indirect plasma treatment approach using water discharged with different gases, highlighting argon plasma's enhanced effectiveness in cancer cell apoptosis.

Findings

Argon plasma in water induces the strongest apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are elevated in water treated with argon plasma.

Indirect plasma treatment shows potential as a cancer therapy adjunct.

Abstract

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been emerged as a novel technology for cancer treatment. CAP can directly treat cells and tissue but such direct application is limited to skin or can be invoked as a supplement during open surgery. In this study we report indirect plasma treatment using CAP discharged in DI water using three gases as carriers (argon, helium and nitrogen). Plasma stimulated water was applied to human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). MTT assay tests showed that using argon plasma had the strongest effect on inducing apoptosis in cultured human breast cancer cells. This result is attributed to the elevated production of the reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species in water in the case of argon plasma.