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    Gas plasma-conditioned ringer’s lactate enhances the cytotoxic activity of cisplatin and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer in vitro and in ovo
    (Basel : MDPI AG, 2020) Liedtke, Kim-Rouven; Freund, Eric; Hermes, Maraike; Oswald, Stefan; Heidecke, Claus-Dieter; Partecke, Lars-Ivo; Bekeschus, Sander
    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive tumor entities. Diffuse metastatic infiltration of vessels and the peritoneum restricts curative surgery. Standard chemotherapy protocols include the cytostatic drug gemcitabine with limited efficacy at considerable toxicity. In search of a more effective and less toxic treatment modality, we tested in human pancreatic cancer cells (MiaPaca and PaTuS) a novel combination therapy consisting of cytostatic drugs (gemcitabine or cisplatin) and gas plasma-conditioned Ringer’s lactate that acts via reactive oxygen species. A decrease in metabolic activity and viability, change in morphology, and cell cycle arrest was observed in vitro. The combination treatment was found to be additively toxic. The findings were validated utilizing an in ovo tumor model of solid pancreatic tumors growing on the chorionallantois membrane of fertilized chicken eggs (TUM-CAM). The combination of the drugs (especially cisplatin) with the plasma-conditioned liquid significantly enhanced the anti-cancer effects, resulting in the induction of cell death, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of cell growth with both of the cell lines tested. In conclusion, our novel combination approach may be a promising new avenue to increase the tolerability and efficacy of locally applied chemotherapeutic in diffuse metastatic peritoneal carcinomatosis of the pancreas. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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    The molecular and physiological consequences of cold plasma treatment in murine skin and its barrier function
    (New York, NY [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2020) Schmidt, Anke; Liebelt, Grit; Striesow, Johanna; Freund, Eric; Woedtke, Thomas von; Wende, Kristian; Bekeschus, Sander
    Cold plasma technology is an emerging tool facilitating the spatially controlled delivery of a multitude of reactive species (ROS) to the skin. While the therapeutic efficacy of plasma treatment has been observed in several types of diseases, the fundamental consequences of plasma-derived ROS on skin physiology remain unknown. We aimed to bridge this gap since the epidermal skin barrier and perfusion plays a vital role in health and disease by maintaining homeostasis and protecting from environmental damage. The intact skin of SKH1 mice was plasma-treated in vivo. Gene and protein expression was analyzed utilizing transcriptomics, qPCR, and Western blot. Immunofluorescence aided the analysis of percutaneous skin penetration of curcumin. Tissue oxygenation, perfusion, hemoglobin, and water index was investigated using hyperspectral imaging. Reversed-phase liquid-chromatography/mass spectrometry was performed for the identification of changes in the lipid composition and oxidation. Transcriptomic analysis of plasma-treated skin revealed modulation of genes involved in regulating the junctional network (tight, adherence, and gap junctions), which was confirmed using qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence imaging. Plasma treatment increased the disaggregation of cells in the stratum corneum (SC) concomitant with increased tissue oxygenation, gap junctional intercellular communication, and penetration of the model drug curcumin into the SC preceded by altered oxidation of skin lipids and their composition in vivo. In summary, plasma-derived ROS modify the junctional network, which promoted tissue oxygenation, oxidation of SC-lipids, and restricted penetration of the model drug curcumin, implicating that plasma may provide a novel and sensitive tool of skin barrier regulation. © 2020 The Author(s)