Exploration of Novel Molecular Mechanisms Using Low-Temperature Plasma Based on Comprehensive Analysis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H01072
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 14030:Applied plasma science-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Hiromasa 名古屋大学, 低温プラズマ科学研究センター, 教授 (00508129)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Low-temperature plasma / cancer

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted a microarray experiment on U251SP glioblastoma cells treated with plasma-activated lactated Ringer's solution (PAL), and comprehensively analyzed the vast amount of data obtained. We found that the expression of 34 genes increased more than two-fold in response to both 8-fold and 16-fold diluted PAL.
To evaluate the selective cytotoxic effect of PAL on cancer cells, we established an experimental system using MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF10A mammary epithelial cells. Through comprehensive gene expression analysis using microarrays, we discovered several signaling pathways related to the selective cytotoxic effect on MCF7 cells compared to MCF10A cells, and conducted follow-up experiments using Western blotting and real-time PCR.

Free Research Field

プラズマ生命科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

プラズマ活性乳酸リンゲル液（PAL）がグリオブラストーマ細胞の遺伝子発現に与える影響を明らかにし、更にPALが乳がん細胞と乳腺上皮細胞の遺伝子発現に与える影響を調べることによりPALによる選択的殺傷効果に関するシグナル伝達経路をいくつか同定したことは、学術的に意義が大きい。また、PALのファーストインヒューマンとして、2023年度から特定臨床応用研究を開始したことは社会的意義も大きい。