Nonthermal Plasma Induces Apoptosis in ATC Cells: Involvement of JNK and p38 MAPK-Dependent ROS.
10.3349/ymj.2014.55.6.1640
- Author:
Sei Young LEE
1
;
Sung Un KANG
;
Kang Il KIM
;
Sam KANG
;
Yoo Seob SHIN
;
Jae Won CHANG
;
Sang Sik YANG
;
Keunho LEE
;
Jong Soo LEE
;
Eunpyo MOON
;
Chul Ho KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Nonthermal plasma;
ROS;
anaplastic thyroid cancer;
apoptosis;
helium;
oxygen
- MeSH:
Apoptosis/*drug effects;
Caspase 3/*metabolism;
Flow Cytometry;
Humans;
Male;
Plasma Gases/*pharmacology;
Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism;
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission;
Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic;
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/*metabolism
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2014;55(6):1640-1647
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To determine the effects of nonthermal plasma (NTP) induced by helium (He) alone or He plus oxygen (O2) on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NTP was generated in He alone or He plus O2 blowing through a nozzle by applying a high alternating current voltage to the discharge electrodes. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to identify various excited plasma species. The apoptotic effect of NTP on the anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines, such as HTH83, U-HTH 7, and SW1763, was verified with annexin V/propidium staining and TUNEL assay. ROS formation after NTP treatment was identified with fluorescence-activated cell sorting with DCFDA staining. The mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and caspase cascade were investigated to evaluate the molecular mechanism involved and cellular targets of plasma. RESULTS: NTP induced significant apoptosis in all three cancer cell lines. The plasma using He and O2 generated more O2-related species, and increased apoptosis and intracellular ROS formation compared with the plasma using He alone. NTP treatment of SW1763 increased the expression of phosphor-JNK, phosphor-p38, and caspase-3, but not phosphor-ERK. Apoptosis of SW1763 as well as expressions of elevated phosphor-JNK, phosphor-p38, and caspase-3 induced by NTP were effectively inhibited by intracellular ROS scavengers. CONCLUSION: NTP using He plus O2 induced significant apoptosis in anaplastic cancer cell lines through intracellular ROS formation. This may represent a new promising treatment modality for this highly lethal disease.
