The inhibition effect of cold atmospheric plasma-activated media in cutaneous squamous carcinoma cells

AIM: This study investigated the effect and mechanism of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP)-activated media on A431 and HaCaT cells. MATERIALS & METHODS: Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) were treated by CAP to get CAP-activated media. A431 and HaCaT were incubated by CAP-activated media for 2 h. MTT, Annexin-V and propidium iodide (PI), Western blot and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection assay were utilized to demonstrate the effect. RESULTS: The CAP-activated media decreased the proliferation of A431 cells in a dose/time-dependent manner. And the CAP-activated media could induce apoptosis in A431 cells. CAP-activated phosphate-buffered saline could increase intracellular ROS level but not CAP-activated DMEM. CONCLUSION: CAP-activated media could induce apoptosis in A431 cells by production of ROS.