Effects of nitrogen on the apoptosis of and changes in gene expression in human lymphoma U937 cells exposed to argon-based cold atmospheric pressure plasma

Tabuchi,Yoshiaki; Uchiyama,Hidefumi; Zhao,Qing-Li; Yunoki,Tatsuya; Andocs,Gabor; Nojima,Nobuyuki; Takeda,Keigo; Ishikawa,Kenji; Hori,Masaru; Kondo,Takashi

doi:10.3892/ijmm.2016.2574

Effects of nitrogen on the apoptosis of and changes in gene expression in human lymphoma U937 cells exposed to argon-based cold atmospheric pressure plasma

Authors:
- Yoshiaki Tabuchi
- Hidefumi Uchiyama
- Qing-Li Zhao
- Tatsuya Yunoki
- Gabor Andocs
- Nobuyuki Nojima
- Keigo Takeda
- Kenji Ishikawa
- Masaru Hori
- Takashi Kondo
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Affiliations: Division of Molecular Genetics Research, Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan, Tateyama Machine Co., Ltd., Toyama 930-1305, Japan, Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan, Plasma Nanotechnology Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
Published online on: April 25, 2016 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2016.2574
Pages: 1706-1714

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Abstract

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) is known as a source of biologically active agents, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). In the present study, we examined the effects of nitrogen (N2) on the apoptosis of and changes in gene expression in human lymphoma U937 cells exposed to argon (Ar)-CAP. Enormous amounts of hydroxyl (·OH) radicals in aqueous solution were produced using Ar‑CAP generated using a 20 kHz low frequency at 18 kV with a flow rate of 2 l/min. The increase in the levels of ·OH radicals was significantly attenuated by the addition of N2 to Ar gas. On the other hand, the level of total nitrate/nitrite in the supernatant was significantly elevated in the Ar + N2-CAP‑exposed U937 cells. When the cells were exposed to Ar‑CAP, a significant increase in apoptosis was observed, whereas apoptosis was markedly decreased in the cells exposed to Ar + N2-CAP. Microarray and pathway analyses revealed that a newly identified gene network containing a number of heat shock proteins (HSPs), anti-apoptotic genes, was mainly associated with the biological function of the prevention of apoptosis. Quantitative PCR revealed that the expression levels of HSPs were significantly elevated in the cells exposed to Ar + N2-CAP than those exposed to Ar‑CAP. These results indicate that N2 gas in Ar‑CAP modifies the ratio of ROS to RNS, and suppresses the apoptosis induced by Ar‑CAP. The modulation of gaseous conditions in CAP may thus prove to be useful for future clinical applications, such as for switching from a sterilizing mode to cytocidal effect for cancer cells.

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