Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP)-induced radicals on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is overexpressed by oral squamous cell carcinoma, to determine the underlying mechanism of selective killing. CAP-induced highly reactive radicals were observed in both plasma plume and cell culture media. The selective killing effect was observed in oral squamous cell carcinoma compared with normal human gingival fibroblast. Degradation and dysfunction of EGFRs were observed only in the EGFR-overexpressing oral squamous cell carcinoma and not in the normal cell. Nitric oxide scavenger pretreatment in cell culture media before CAP treatment rescued above degradation and dysfunction of the EGFR as well as the killing effect in oral squamous cell carcinoma. CAP may be a promising cancer treatment method by inducing EGFR dysfunction in EGFR-overexpressing oral squamous cell carcinoma via nitric oxide radicals.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acetylcysteine / pharmacology
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy
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Cells, Cultured
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Culture Media / pharmacology
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Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
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ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Fibroblasts / drug effects
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Free Radicals
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Gingiva / cytology
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Humans
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Mouth Neoplasms / metabolism
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Mouth Neoplasms / pathology*
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Mouth Neoplasms / therapy
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Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Nitric Oxide / antagonists & inhibitors
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Nitric Oxide / pharmacology*
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Oxidative Stress
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Plasma Gases / pharmacology*
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Plasma Gases / therapeutic use
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Proteolysis
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Reactive Nitrogen Species / pharmacology*
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Reactive Oxygen Species
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Sulfhydryl Compounds / analysis
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Tumor Cells, Cultured
Substances
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Culture Media
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Free Radicals
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Neoplasm Proteins
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Plasma Gases
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Reactive Nitrogen Species
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Reactive Oxygen Species
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Sulfhydryl Compounds
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Nitric Oxide
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EGFR protein, human
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ErbB Receptors
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Acetylcysteine
Grants and funding
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP; Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning) (NRF-2010-0027963) and by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education(grant number:2009-0093829).