title: Combination of cold atmospheric plasma and iron nanoparticles in breast cancer: gene expression and apoptosis study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current cancer treatments have unexpected side effects of which the death of normal cells is one. In some cancers, iron nanoparticles (NPs) can be subjected to diagnosis and passive targeting treatment. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has a proven induction of selective cell death ability. In this study, we have attempted to analyze the synergy between CAP and iron NPs in human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7).
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro cytotoxicity of CAP treatment and NPs in cells measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cell death was shown by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and annexin V staining. Fluctuations inBAXandBCL-2gene expression were investigated by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MTT assay results showed that combination of plasma and iron NPs decreased the viability of cancer cells significantly (P<0.05). Real-time analysis showed that the combination therapy induced shifting theBAX/BCL-2ratio in favor of apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that synergy between CAP and iron NPs can be applied in breast cancer treatment selectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirfakhraie
keywords: BAX; BCL-2; breast cancer; cold atmospheric plasma; iron nanoparticles