Redox-regulation of activator protein 1 family members in blood cancer cell lines exposed to cold physical plasma-treated medium

Targeting cancer cells with cold physical plasma emerged as a promising application in plasma medicine. To understand its mode of action with regard to cellular redox-regulation, two leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and THP-1 cells) were plasma-treated and their gene expression was compared. Transcriptomics revealed strikingly similar expression levels of activator protein 1 family members, and of a particular set of genes associated with apoptosis, DNA repair, and antioxidant defense. Interestingly, important constitutively expressed antioxidant transcripts were differently expressed in both cell types which suggest them to be crucial for the Jurkat's high and the THP-1 cells’ low sensitivity to plasma. Utilizing these targets as biological read outs may help rendering plasmas more effective against different types of cancers.