Cold Plasma Enhances the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species and the Uptake of Nanoparticles in Cancer Cells Publisher



A Shanei AHMAD ; F Shahedi FATEMEH ; S Momeni SARA
Source: Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences Published:2025

Abstract

Objectives: Cold plasma, which is a rich source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and also generates them when it comes into contact with cells, is being investigated for its potential to target cancer cells. ROS are crucial in causing tumor damage and are divided into long- and short-term species. Among them, the analysis of short-lived radicals such as hydroxyl radicals (HO⋅) is much more important because they are primarily responsible for biological damage and can also generate long-lived radicals. Moreover, selecting nanoparticles (NPs) to treat cancer is important; however, what matters most is how well the NPs are absorbed by the tumor. To minimize adverse effects, the challenge of many cancer treatments is selectivity. Cold plasma and gold (GNPs) were used in this study to target melanoma cells, and increase ROS production and GNP absorption. Methods: The research involved testing efficiency with an MTT assay on melanoma cells and selectivity on healthy fibroblast cells. Flow cytometry measured apoptosis rates, whereas a chemical dosimeter measured the amount of free radicals generated in each treatment group. The average gold content absorbed in each cell was measured with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) with and without cold plasma therapy. Results: The findings demonstrated that while cold plasma caused cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, healthy cells remained unaffected. This effect was greatest when GNPs were used. The presence of cold plasma led to the significant production of HO⋅. Additionally, it was observed that cold plasma enhanced the uptake of GNPs in cancer cells while having no effect on healthy cells. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the approach of combining GNPs and cold plasma could offer an optimized targeted therapeutic option for addressing the challenges associated with melanoma management. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.