Feasibility study of atmospheric pressure plasma treatments of HEPG-2 and SK-HEP-1 cancer cells

Abstract

Summary form only given. A feasibility study of plasma cancer cell treatment was performed using a pin-type plasma jet. A 50 kHz AC power was used to generate the plasma in the ambient air assisted by the helium flow. The plasma gas temperature was maintained at the room temperature of 25degC to eliminate the thermal damages to the cell. The liver cancer cells of HEPG-2 and SK-HEP-1 were used as the treatment samples. The sample cells were prepared on the fibronectin coated slide glass for the sake of convenience of the microscopic observation process. The input voltage and the treatment time were controlled in the range of (750-1000) V and (30-120) s, respectively. After the plasma treatments, the sample cells were stained with the viability assay (ethidium homodimer and calcein AM) to make discrimination between live and dead cells. Then, the microscopy scan was performed from the plasma center up to about 1 cm. The necrotized cells as well as a void or cell free zone appeared starting at the input voltage of 800 V and the treatment time of 60 s, . The necrotized zone and the void were well matched to the plasma profile. Normal liver cell, THLE-2, was then treated for comparison with the liver cancer cells.