Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biophysics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 13756

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Thermal Physics of Multiphase Systems, Arifov Institute of Ion-Plasma and Laser Technologies, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100125, Uzbekistan
2. Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Interests: plasma medicine; plasma-biomolecule interactions; computer simulations; molecular dynamics

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Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Technical Ceramics and Heat Resistance Materials, Institute of Material Sciences, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100084, Uzbekistan
2. Institute of Fundamental and Applied Research, National Research University TIIAME, Tashkent 100000, Uzbekistan
Interests: plasma medicine; plasma-biomolecule interactions; computer simulations; molecular dynamics
1. Associate Professor, Center of Plasma Nano-Interface Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
2. Faculty of Information Science and Electrical Engineering , Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
Interests: plasma medicine; protein-folding; plasma-biomolecule interactions; computer simulations; molecular dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit a review or research article to the Special Issue entitled “Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine”, which we are organizing in collaboration with Biomolecules (IF 6.064; https://www.mdpi.com/journal/biomolecules), an open access journal published by MDPI, Switzerland.

Plasma medicine, i.e., the biomedical application of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTP), is gaining increasing interest, with applications in sterilization of microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi and viruses), food decontamination, wound healing and even cancer treatment.

It is widely accepted that the biological and medical effects of NTP are related to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). While high doses of NTP-generated RONS are undeniably "harmful" to any cell/organism, delivery of low doses of specific RONS may be beneficial in the aforementioned therapies.

The argument follows that RONS regulate key biochemical pathways within intra- and intercellular environments, inducing chemical and physical modifications in cellular components, oxidizing or breaking them into fragments. Studies have already shown that the treatment of living cells with NTP induces changes in intracellular signaling, which is important in the treatment of diseases. However, it is still unclear how plasma-generated RONS regulate intracellular processes. If these processes are better understood, it will allow the development of more targeted and effective medical plasma therapy.

In this Special Issue of Biomolecules, we aim to offer a platform for high-quality publications focused on the fundamental understanding of the impact of NTP-generated RONS on biomolecules or the implications of these interactions in the context of plasma medicine.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Plasma medicine
  • Plasma oncology
  • Plasma disinfection
  • Plasma wound healing
  • Plasma immunotherapy
  • Plasma-activated liquid

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Maksudbek Yusupov
Dr. Jamoliddin Razzokov
Dr. Pankaj Attri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • non-thermal (cold) atmospheric pressure plasma
  • reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS)
  • plasma–biomolecule interaction
  • plasma cancer treatment
  • plasma immunomodulation
  • plasma inactivation of viruses, fungi and bacteria
  • plasma–liquid interaction
  • computer simulations

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4087 KiB  
Article
Bacterial Decontamination of Water-Containing Objects Using Piezoelectric Direct Discharge Plasma and Plasma Jet
by Evgeny M. Konchekov, Victoria V. Gudkova, Dmitriy E. Burmistrov, Aleksandra S. Konkova, Maria A. Zimina, Mariam D. Khatueva, Vlada A. Polyakova, Alexandra A. Stepanenko, Tatyana I. Pavlik, Valentin D. Borzosekov, Dmitry V. Malakhov, Leonid V. Kolik, Namik Gusein-zade and Sergey V. Gudkov
Biomolecules 2024, 14(2), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14020181 - 02 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1545
Abstract
Cold atmospheric plasma has become a widespread tool in bacterial decontamination, harnessing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to neutralize bacteria on surfaces and in the air. This technology is often employed in healthcare, food processing, water treatment, etc. One of the most energy-efficient [...] Read more.
Cold atmospheric plasma has become a widespread tool in bacterial decontamination, harnessing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to neutralize bacteria on surfaces and in the air. This technology is often employed in healthcare, food processing, water treatment, etc. One of the most energy-efficient and universal methods for creating cold atmospheric plasma is the initiation of a piezoelectric direct discharge. The article presents a study of the bactericidal effect of piezoelectric direct discharge plasma generated using the multifunctional source “CAPKO”. This device allows for the modification of the method of plasma generation “on the fly” by replacing a unit (cap) on the working device. The results of the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in a buffer solution in the modes of direct discharge in air and a plasma jet with an argon flow are presented. The bactericidal effect of these types of plasma against the bacteria E. coli BL21 (DE3) was studied. The issues of scaling the treatment technique are considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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23 pages, 15770 KiB  
Article
The Molecular Basis for Selectivity of the Cytotoxic Response of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Cold Atmospheric Plasma
by Mikhail Biryukov, Dmitriy Semenov, Nadezhda Kryachkova, Alina Polyakova, Ekaterina Patrakova, Olga Troitskaya, Elena Milakhina, Julia Poletaeva, Pavel Gugin, Elena Ryabchikova, Dmitriy Zakrevsky, Irina Schweigert and Olga Koval
Biomolecules 2023, 13(11), 1672; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13111672 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1075
Abstract
The interaction of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) with biotargets is accompanied by chemical reactions on their surfaces and insides, and it has great potential as an anticancer approach. This study discovers the molecular mechanisms that may explain the selective death of tumor cells [...] Read more.
The interaction of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) with biotargets is accompanied by chemical reactions on their surfaces and insides, and it has great potential as an anticancer approach. This study discovers the molecular mechanisms that may explain the selective death of tumor cells under CAP exposure. To reach this goal, the transcriptional response to CAP treatment was analyzed in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells and in lung-fibroblast Wi-38 cells. We found that the CAP treatment induced the common trend of response from A549 and Wi-38 cells—the p53 pathway, KRAS signaling, UV response, TNF-alpha signaling, and apoptosis-related processes were up-regulated in both cell lines. However, the amplitude of the response to CAP was more variable in the A549 cells. The CAP-dependent death of A549 cells was accompanied by DNA damage, cell-cycle arrest in G2/M, and the dysfunctional response of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4). The activation of the genes of endoplasmic reticulum stress and ER lumens was detected only in the A549 cells. Transmission-electron microscopy confirmed the alteration of the morphology of the ER lumens in the A549 cells after the CAP exposure. It can be concluded that the responses to nuclear stress and ER stress constitute the main differences in the sensitivity of tumor and healthy cells to CAP exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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21 pages, 7884 KiB  
Article
Low-Temperature Plasma-Activated Medium Inhibits the Migration of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
by Yan Zhang, Zhuna Yan, Hui Wu, Xiao Yang, Ke Yang and Wencheng Song
Biomolecules 2023, 13(7), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13071073 - 04 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
This study explored the molecular mechanism of the plasma activation medium (PAM) inhibiting the migration ability of NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) cells. The effect of PAM incubation on the cell viability of NSCLC was detected through a cell viability experiment. Transwell cells [...] Read more.
This study explored the molecular mechanism of the plasma activation medium (PAM) inhibiting the migration ability of NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) cells. The effect of PAM incubation on the cell viability of NSCLC was detected through a cell viability experiment. Transwell cells and microfluidic chips were used to investigate the effects of PAM on the migration capacity of NSCLC cells, and the latter was used for the first time to observe the changes in the migration capacity of cancer cells treated with PAM. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms of PAM affecting the migration ability of NSCLC cells were investigated through intracellular and extracellular ROS detection, mitochondrial membrane potential, and Western blot experiments. The results showed that after long-term treatment with PAM, the high level of ROS produced by PAM reduced the level of the mitochondrial membrane potential of cells and blocked the cell division cycle in the G2/M phase. At the same time, the EMT process was reversed by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These results suggested that the high ROS levels generated by the PAM treatment reversed the EMT process by inhibiting the WNT/β-catenin pathway in NSCLC cells and thus inhibited the migration of NSCLC cells. Therefore, these results provide good theoretical support for the clinical treatment of NSCLC with PAM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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14 pages, 3463 KiB  
Article
Unraveling the Transport Properties of RONS across Nitro-Oxidized Membranes
by Davronjon Abduvokhidov, Maksudbek Yusupov, Aamir Shahzad, Pankaj Attri, Masaharu Shiratani, Maria C. Oliveira and Jamoliddin Razzokov
Biomolecules 2023, 13(7), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13071043 - 27 Jun 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1925
Abstract
The potential of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in biomedical applications has received significant interest, due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Upon exposure to living cells, CAP triggers alterations in various cellular components, such as the cell membrane. [...] Read more.
The potential of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in biomedical applications has received significant interest, due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Upon exposure to living cells, CAP triggers alterations in various cellular components, such as the cell membrane. However, the permeation of RONS across nitrated and oxidized membranes remains understudied. To address this gap, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations, to investigate the permeation capabilities of RONS across modified cell membranes. This computational study investigated the translocation processes of less hydrophilic and hydrophilic RONS across the phospholipid bilayer (PLB), with various degrees of oxidation and nitration, and elucidated the impact of RONS on PLB permeability. The simulation results showed that less hydrophilic species, i.e., NO, NO2, N2O4, and O3, have a higher penetration ability through nitro-oxidized PLB compared to hydrophilic RONS, i.e., HNO3, s-cis-HONO, s-trans-HONO, H2O2, HO2, and OH. In particular, nitro-oxidation of PLB, induced by, e.g., cold atmospheric plasma, has minimal impact on the penetration of free energy barriers of less hydrophilic species, while it lowers these barriers for hydrophilic RONS, thereby enhancing their translocation across nitro-oxidized PLB. This research contributes to a better understanding of the translocation abilities of RONS in the field of plasma biomedical applications and highlights the need for further analysis of their role in intracellular signaling pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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19 pages, 3404 KiB  
Article
Dose-Dependent Effects in Plasma Oncotherapy: Critical In Vivo Immune Responses Missed by In Vitro Studies
by Yuanyuan He, Fanwu Gong, Tao Jin, Qi Liu, Haopeng Fang, Yan Chen, Guomin Wang, Paul K. Chu, Zhengwei Wu and Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov
Biomolecules 2023, 13(4), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13040707 - 21 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2161
Abstract
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) generates abundant reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) which can induce apoptosis, necrosis, and other biological responses in tumor cells. However, the frequently observed different biological responses to in vitro and in vivo CAP treatments remain [...] Read more.
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) generates abundant reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) which can induce apoptosis, necrosis, and other biological responses in tumor cells. However, the frequently observed different biological responses to in vitro and in vivo CAP treatments remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal and explain plasma-generated ROS/RNS doses and immune system-related responses in a focused case study of the interactions of CAP with colon cancer cells in vitro and with the corresponding tumor in vivo. Plasma controls the biological activities of MC38 murine colon cancer cells and the involved tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). In vitro CAP treatment causes necrosis and apoptosis in MC38 cells, which is dependent on the generated doses of intracellular and extracellular ROS/RNS. However, in vivo CAP treatment for 14 days decreases the proportion and number of tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells while increasing PD-L1 and PD-1 expression in the tumors and the TILs, which promotes tumor growth in the studied C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, the ROS/RNS levels in the tumor interstitial fluid of the CAP-treated mice are significantly lower than those in the MC38 cell culture supernatant. The results indicate that low doses of ROS/RNS derived from in vivo CAP treatment may activate the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway in the tumor microenvironment and lead to the undesired tumor immune escape. Collectively, these results suggest the crucial role of the effect of doses of plasma-generated ROS and RNS, which are generally different in in vitro and in vivo treatments, and also suggest that appropriate dose adjustments are required upon translation to real-world plasma oncotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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Review

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42 pages, 8823 KiB  
Review
Effects of Nitro-Oxidative Stress on Biomolecules: Part 1—Non-Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations
by Maryam Ghasemitarei, Tayebeh Ghorbi, Maksudbek Yusupov, Yuantao Zhang, Tong Zhao, Parisa Shali and Annemie Bogaerts
Biomolecules 2023, 13(9), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13091371 - 11 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1402
Abstract
Plasma medicine, or the biomedical application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), is an expanding field within plasma research. CAP has demonstrated remarkable versatility in diverse biological applications, including cancer treatment, wound healing, microorganism inactivation, and skin disease therapy. However, the precise mechanisms underlying [...] Read more.
Plasma medicine, or the biomedical application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), is an expanding field within plasma research. CAP has demonstrated remarkable versatility in diverse biological applications, including cancer treatment, wound healing, microorganism inactivation, and skin disease therapy. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of CAP remain incompletely understood. The therapeutic effects of CAP are largely attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which play a crucial role in the biological responses induced by CAP. Specifically, RONS produced during CAP treatment have the ability to chemically modify cell membranes and membrane proteins, causing nitro-oxidative stress, thereby leading to changes in membrane permeability and disruption of cellular processes. To gain atomic-level insights into these interactions, non-reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have emerged as a valuable tool. These simulations facilitate the examination of larger-scale system dynamics, including protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions. In this comprehensive review, we focus on the applications of non-reactive MD simulations in studying the effects of CAP on cellular components and interactions at the atomic level, providing a detailed overview of the potential of CAP in medicine. We also review the results of other MD studies that are not related to plasma medicine but explore the effects of nitro-oxidative stress on cellular components and are therefore important for a broader understanding of the underlying processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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17 pages, 1281 KiB  
Review
Receptor-Mediated Redox Imbalance: An Emerging Clinical Avenue against Aggressive Cancers
by Xiaofeng Dai, Erik W. Thompson and Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov
Biomolecules 2022, 12(12), 1880; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12121880 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1620
Abstract
Cancer cells are more vulnerable to abnormal redox fluctuations due to their imbalanced antioxidant system, where cell surface receptors sense stress and trigger intracellular signal relay. As canonical targets of many targeted therapies, cell receptors sensitize the cells to specific drugs. On the [...] Read more.
Cancer cells are more vulnerable to abnormal redox fluctuations due to their imbalanced antioxidant system, where cell surface receptors sense stress and trigger intracellular signal relay. As canonical targets of many targeted therapies, cell receptors sensitize the cells to specific drugs. On the other hand, cell target mutations are commonly associated with drug resistance. Thus, exploring effective therapeutics targeting diverse cell receptors may open new clinical avenues against aggressive cancers. This paper uses focused case studies to reveal the intrinsic relationship between the cell receptors of different categories and the primary cancer hallmarks that are associated with the responses to external or internal redox perturbations. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is examined as a promising redox modulation medium and highly selective anti-cancer therapeutic modality featuring dynamically varying receptor targets and minimized drug resistance against aggressive cancers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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Other

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15 pages, 738 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Effectiveness of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) on Bacterial Reduction in Dental Implants: A Systematic Review
by Ahmed Yaseen Alqutaibi, Abdulbari Aljohani, Abdullah Alduri, Abdulmajid Masoudi, Anas M. Alsaedi, Hesham Mohammed Al-Sharani, Ahmed E. Farghal, Ahmad Abdulkareem Alnazzawi, Afaf Noman Aboalrejal, Abdel-Aleam H. Mohamed and Muhammad Sohail Zafar
Biomolecules 2023, 13(10), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13101528 - 16 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1719
Abstract
Background: The emergence of dental implants has revolutionized the management of tooth loss. However, the placement of clinical implants exposes them to complex oral environment and numerous microscopic entities, such as bacteria. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is often used to treat the surfaces [...] Read more.
Background: The emergence of dental implants has revolutionized the management of tooth loss. However, the placement of clinical implants exposes them to complex oral environment and numerous microscopic entities, such as bacteria. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is often used to treat the surfaces of dental implants, which alters morphological features and effectively reduces bacterial load. Purpose: This systematic review aims to assess the existing literature on the bactericidal properties of CAP when used on various kinds of dental implant surfaces. Review Method: An in-depth examination of MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE was performed to identify relevant studies, with the most recent search conducted in May 2023. Studies were selected based on their exploration of CAP’s effects on dental implants compared to control groups, focusing on CAP’s bactericidal efficacy. However, studies that lacked a control group or that failed to measure bactericidal effects were excluded. Results: After applying the selection criteria, 15 studies were ultimately included in the systematic review. The collected data suggest that CAP can effectively reduce bacterial loads on dental implant surfaces, including pathogens like Streptococcus mitis and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, CAP appears to combat biofilms and plaques that are key contributors to periimplantitis. Conclusion: CAP emerges as a promising treatment option, exhibiting significant bactericidal activity on dental implant surfaces. CAP can decrease the rates of bacterial biofilm and plaque formation, leading to improved outcomes for dental implant patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plasma Bioscience and Medicine)
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