title: Targeting the cancer cell cycle by cold atmospheric plasma.
abstract: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), a technology based on quasi-neutral ionized gas at low temperatures, is currently being evaluated as a new highly selective alternative addition to existing cancer therapies. Here, we present a first attempt to identify the mechanism of CAP action. CAP induced a robust ~2-fold G2/M increase in two different types of cancer cells with different degrees of tumorigenicity. We hypothesize that the increased sensitivity of cancer cells to CAP treatment is caused by differences in the distribution of cancer cells and normal cells within the cell cycle. The expression of γH2A.X (pSer139), an oxidative stress reporter indicating S-phase damage, is enhanced specifically within CAP treated cells in the S phase of the cell cycle. Together with a significant decrease in EdU-incorporation after CAP, these data suggest that tumorigenic cancer cells are more susceptible to CAP treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA. olyanv@gwu.edu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Volotskova
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stepp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keidar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D002470:Cell Survival; D059565:G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D058626:Plasma Gases