Non-thermal plasma as promising anti-cancer therapy against bladder cancer by inducing DNA damage and cell cycle arrest

Abstract

Abstract Bladder cancer often recurs, necessitating innovative treatments to reduce recurrence. We investigated non-thermal plasma’s potential as a novel anti-cancer therapy, focusing on plasma-activated solution (PAS), created by exposing saline to non-thermal plasma. Our study aims to elucidate the biological effects of PAS on bladder cancer cell lines in vitro, as well as the combination with mitomycin C (MMC), using clinically relevant settings. PAS treatment exerts a potent cytotoxic effect through the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species, resulting in DNA damage and subsequent induction of G1 cell cycle arrest/senescence. This is induced via upregulation of cell cycle checkpoint signalling and DNA damage repair pathways using LC-M/MS-based phospho-proteomics. Importantly, combining PAS with MMC reveals a synergistic effect (Combination Index of 0.59–0.67), suggesting the potential of utilizing PAS in combination therapies. Our findings demonstrate PAS’s mode of action and suggest its potential as a promising treatment for bladder cancer, warranting further clinical studies.

Keywords

• Non-thermal plasma
• Phospho-proteomics
• Bladder cancer
• Cancer therapy
• Plasma oncology