Microplasma Induced Cell Morphological Changes and Apoptosis of Ex Vivo Cultured Human Anterior Lens Epithelial Cells - Relevance to Capsular Opacification.
Inducing selective or targeted cell apoptosis without affecting large number of neighbouring cells remains a challenge. A plausible method for treatment of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) due to remaining lens epithelial cells (LECs) by reactive chemistry induced by localized single electrode microplasma discharge at top of a needle-like glass electrode with spot size ~3 μm is hereby presented. The focused and highly-localized atmospheric pressure microplasma jet with electrode discharge could induce a dose-dependent apoptosis in selected and targeted individual LECs, which could be confirmed by real-time monitoring of the morphological and structural changes at cellular level. Direct cell treatment with microplasma inside the medium appeared more effective in inducing apoptosis (caspase 8 positivity and DNA fragmentation) at a highly targeted cell level compared to treatment on top of the medium (indirect treatment). Our results show that single cell specific micropipette plasma can be used to selectively induce demise in LECs which remain in the capsular bag after cataract surgery and thus prevent their migration (CXCR4 positivity) to the posterior lens capsule and PCO formation.
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Nina
N
Recek
Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Sofija
S
Andjelić
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Nataša
N
Hojnik
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Gregor
G
Filipič
Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Saša
S
Lazović
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Alenka
A
Vesel
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Gregor
G
Primc
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Miran
M
Mozetič
Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Marko
M
Hawlina
Stem Cells and Eye Research Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.|Centre of Eye Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Goran
G
Petrovski
Department of Surface Engineering and Optoelectronics (F4), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Uroš
U
Cvelbar
D017209:Apoptosis; D058442:Capsule Opacification / Q000628:therapy*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004566:Electrodes; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology*; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D058626:Plasma Gases