Immune Cells Enhance Selectivity of Nanosecond-Pulsed DBD Plasma Against Tumor Cells

摘要

Cancer immunotherapy is a promising strategy that engages the patient's immune system to kill cancer cells selectively while sparing normal tissue. Treatment of macro-phages with a nanosecond-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge directly enhanced their cytotoxic activity against tumor cells but not normal cells. These results underscore the clinical potential of plasma for cancer immunotherapy. Most of the chemotherapeutic agents and radiation used for treatment of cancers are not tumor specific and rely on their differential toxicity against tumor and noncancerous cells. Damage occurs to both cancerous and normal cells, but normal tissue is better able to repair cellular damage and recover. The usefulness of many of these treatments is compromised by the serious side effects that result from their use. Because they are administered systemically, they are distributed to tissues throughout the body and may produce damage to susceptible organs. In patients with incurable cancers in which palliation of symptoms is the goal, the severity of side effects may be worse than the disease itself. Therefore, the challenge of getting maximal therapeutic benefit while minimizing toxicity for anti-cancer therapies remains.