title: Atmospheric-Pressure Cold Plasma Induces Transcriptional Changes in Ex Vivo Human Corneas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atmospheric pressure cold plasma (APCP) might be considered a novel tool for tissue disinfection in medicine since the active chemical species produced by low plasma doses, generated by ionizing helium gas in air, induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) that kill microorganisms without substantially affecting human cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we evaluated morphological and functional changes in human corneas exposed for 2 minutes (min) to APCP and tested if the antioxidant n-acetyl l-cysteine (NAC) was able to inhibit or prevent damage and cell death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry and western blotting analyses of corneal tissues collected at 6 hours (h) post-APCP treatment demonstrated no morphological tissue changes, but a transient increased expression of OGG1 glycosylase that returned to control levels in 24 h. Transcriptome sequencing and quantitative real time PCR performed on different corneas revealed in the treated corneas many differentially expressed genes: namely, 256 and 304 genes showing expression changes greater than ± 2 folds in the absence and presence of NAC, respectively. At 6 h post-treatment, the most over-expressed gene categories suggested an active or enhanced cell functioning, with only a minority of genes specifically concerning oxidative DNA damage and repair showing slight over-expression values (<2 folds). Moreover, time-related expression analysis of eight genes up-regulated in the APCP-treated corneas overall demonstrated the return to control expression levels after 24 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings of transient oxidative stress accompanied by wide-range transcriptome adjustments support the further development of APCP as an ocular disinfectant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rosani
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Histology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarricone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venier
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Microbiology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, S. Antonio Hospital, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Velika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Deligianni
authors.affiliation: Consorzio RFX, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuin
authors.affiliation: Consorzio RFX, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martines
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Histology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brun
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D000388:Air; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D045647:DNA Glycosylases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D004867:Equipment Design; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006371:Helium; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005136:Eye Proteins; D058626:Plasma Gases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006371:Helium; D045647:DNA Glycosylases; C479058:oxoguanine glycosylase 1, human; D000111:Acetylcysteine