Preferential killing of human lung cancer cell lines with mitochondrial dysfunction by nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma

• Published in: Cell death & disease 2013-05, Vol.4 (5), p.e642-e642
• Main Authors: Panngom, K, Baik, K Y, Nam, M K, Han, J H, Rhim, H, Choi, E H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Cell Culture; Cell Line; Electrochemical Techniques - instrumentation; Electrochemical Techniques - methods; Electrodes; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide - toxicity; Immunology; Life Sciences; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - drug effects; Mitochondria - drug effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; Nitrogen Oxides - toxicity; Original; original-article
• ISSN: 2041-4889; 2041-4889
• DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2013.168

The distinctive cellular and mitochondrial dysfunctions of two human lung cancer cell lines (H460 and HCC1588) from two human lung normal cell lines (MRC5 and L132) have been studied by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment. This cytotoxicity is exposure time-dependent, which is strongly mediated by the large amount of H 2 O 2 and NO x in culture media generated by DBD nonthermal plasma. It is found that the cell number of lung cancer cells has been reduced more than that of the lung normal cells. The mitochondrial vulnerability to reactive species in H460 may induce distinctively selective responses. Differential mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, mitochondrial enzymatic dysfunction, and mitochondrial morphological alteration are exhibited in two cell lines. These results suggest the nonthermal plasma treatment as an efficacious modality in lung cancer therapy.