No-ozone cold plasma induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cell line via increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS).

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of argon-based No-ozone Cold Plasma (NCP) on neuroblastoma cancer cell apoptosis. METHODS: Experiments were performed with SK-N-SH and HS 68. Cell cultures were treated with NCP for 1, 3, and 5 min. NCP was applied using three different strategies: direct NCP application to cell cultures, to only media, and to only cells. Evaluation of cell viability and the level of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was performed. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) was also used to antagonize intracellular ROS. Cleaved caspase 3, PARP, aquaporin (AQP) 3 and 8 were detected. RESULTS: NCP induced a gradual decrease in the SK-N-SH cell viability. In contrast, the viability of HS 68 cells did not change. SK-N-SH cells viability was reduced the most when the only media-NCP application strategy was employed. Intracellular ROS levels were significantly increased with time. Cleaved caspase 3 and PARP were increased at 6 h after NCP application. SK-N-SH cells remained viable with NAC after NCP application. AQP 3 and 8 were over-expressed in SK-N-SH cells. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the anti-cancer effect of NCP on neuroblastoma cells. NCP enhanced the selective apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells due to the increased intracellular ROS.

Detection of Multiple Respiration Patterns Based on 1D SNN from Continuous Human Breathing Signals and the Range Classification Method for Each Respiration Pattern.

Human respiratory information is being used as an important source of biometric information that can enable the analysis of health status in the healthcare domain. The analysis of the frequency or duration of a specific respiration pattern and the classification of respiration patterns in the corresponding section for a certain period of time are important for the utilization of respiratory information in various ways. Existing methods require window slide processing to classify sections for each respiration pattern from the breathing data for a certain time period. In this case, when multiple respiration patterns exist within one window, the recognition rate can be lowered. To solve this problem, a 1D Siamese neural network (SNN)-based human respiration pattern detection model and a merge-and-split algorithm for the classification of multiple respiration patterns in each region for all respiration sections are proposed in this study. When calculating the accuracy based on intersection over union (IOU) for the respiration range classification result for each pattern, the accuracy was found to be improved by approximately 19.3% compared with the existing deep neural network (DNN) and 12.4% compared with a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN). The accuracy of detection based on the simple respiration pattern was approximately 14.5% higher than that of the DNN and 5.3% higher than that of the 1D CNN.

Effect of No-ozone Cold Plasma on Regeneration after Crushed Mental Nerve Injury in rats.

Background: This experimental research aimed to determine whether No-ozone Cold Plasma (NCP) has regenerative effect on crushed injured sensory nerves in a rat model (Wistar A) and to evaluate whether NCP can be used as an alternative treatment method for sensory nerve injury in the oral-maxillofacial region. Methods: A total of 10 Wistar A rats were used for this experiment. They were divided into three groups according to whether the mental nerve of the left mandible was injured and NCP was applied or not: group 1 (n=3) (non-mental nerve damage, non-MD) - the left mental nerve was exposed and non-damaged; group 2 (n=3) (mental nerve damage, MD) - the left mental nerve was exposed and damaged, NCP was not applied; and group 3 (n=4) (mental nerve damage and NCP, MD-NCP) - the left mental nerve was exposed and damaged, NCP was applied with regular intervals (three times a week). Results: For the behavior analysis, von Frey test was used. Furthermore, the nerve tissues were examined with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the extent of neurorecovery was evaluated with the immunofluorescence staining of certain markers. The behavioral analysis showed that the function recovery sensory nerve was faster in group 3 (MD-NCP). In the histomorphologic and immunofluorescence analyses, the expression of the factors involved in neurorecovery was much higher in group 3 than in group 2 (MD). Conclusions: The expeditious recovery of sensory nerve function as well as the higher expression of the factors indicating nerve function recovery in the NCP-treated group suggest that NCP has a positive effect on regeneration after sensory nerve crushing injury. Therefore, in the case of sensory impairment of the oral-maxillofacial region, no-ozone cold plasma can be applied for therapeutic effect.

Optimizing Active Tumor Targeting Biocompatible Polymers for Efficient Systemic Delivery of Adenovirus.

Adenovirus (Ad) has risen to be a promising alternative to conventional cancer therapy. However, systemic delivery of Ad, which is necessary for the treatment of metastatic cancer, remains a major challenge within the field, owing to poor tumor tropism and nonspecific hepatic tropism of the virus. To address this limitation of Ad, we have synthesized two variants of folic acid (FA)-conjugated methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly{N-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]-L-glutamate (P5N2LG-FA and P5N5LG-FA) using 5 kDa poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with a different level of protonation (N2 < N5 in terms of charge), along with a P5N5LG control polymer without FA. Our findings demonstrate that P5N5LG, P5N2LG-FA, and P5N5LG-FA exert a lower level of cytotoxicity compared to 25 kDa polyethyleneimine. Furthermore, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing Ad complexed with P5N2LG-FA and P5N5LG-FA (Ad/P5N2LG-FA and Ad/P5N5LG-FA, respectively) exerted superior transduction efficiency compared to naked Ad or Ad complexed with P5N5LG (Ad/P5N5LG) in folate receptor (FR)-overexpressing cancer cells (KB and MCF7). All three nanocomplexes (Ad/P5N5LG, Ad/P5N2LG-FA, and Ad/P5N5LG-FA) internalized into cancer cells through coxsackie adenovirus receptor-independent endocytic mechanism and the cell uptake was more efficient than naked Ad. Importantly, the cell uptake of the two FA functionalized nanocomplexes (Ad/P5N2LG-FA and Ad/P5N5LG-FA) was dependent on the complementary interaction of FA-FR. Systemically administered Ad/P5N5LG, Ad/P5N2LG-FA, and Ad/P5N5LG-FA showed exponentially higher retainment of the virus in blood circulation up to 24 h post-administration compared with naked Ad. Both tumor-targeted nanocomplexes (Ad/P5N2LG-FA and Ad/P5N5LG-FA) showed significantly higher intratumoral accumulation than naked Ad or Ad/P5N5LG via systemic administration. Both tumor-targeted nanocomplexes accumulated at a lower level in liver tissues compared to naked Ad. Notably, the nonspecific accumulation of Ad/P5N2LG-FA was significantly lower than Ad/P5N5LG-FA in several normal organs, while exhibiting a significantly higher intratumoral accumulation level, showing that careful optimization of polyplex surface charge is critical to successful tumor-targeted systemic delivery of Ad nanocomplexes.

Ethanol extract of asiasari radix preferentially induces apoptosis in G361 human melanoma cells by differential regulation of p53.

BACKGROUND: In Korea and China, asiasari radix (AR) is widely used as a traditional anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent. After its skin-regenerating and hair loss-preventing activities were identified, several types of AR extracts were used for aesthetic purposes. Nevertheless, the effect of ARE on various types of skin cancers was not fully studied yet. METHODS: In this study, we tested the effect of an ethanolic AR extract (ARE) on G361 human melanoma and HaCaT human keratinocyte cell lines. After ARE exposure, cell growth and the expression patterns of proteins and genes were monitored. RESULTS: The ARE-mediated cell growth inhibition was greater in G361 cells than in HaCaT cells due to differences in its cell growth regulation effects. Interestingly, ARE treatment induced caspase-3-mediated apoptosis in G361 cells, but not in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, ARE reduced the expression of p53 and p21 proteins in G361 cells, whereas it induced their expression in HaCaT cells. ARE induced cell death in G361 cells through the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent regulation of p53 and p21 in G361 cells. Microarray analysis showed that ARE regulates Mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) and CASP8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulator (CFLAR) gene expression in G361 and HaCaT cells differently. CONCLUSION: The treatment of ARE preferentially induces apoptosis in melanoma cells by the ROS-dependent differential regulation of p53 level. Therefore, ARE can be used as a new medicinal option for melanoma.

Physically crosslinked injectable hydrogels for long-term delivery of oncolytic adenoviruses for cancer treatment.

A dual pH- and temperature-responsive physically crosslinked and injectable hydrogel system was developed for efficient and long-term delivery of oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads). Three different types of physically crosslinked hydrogels with different chemical compositions and properties were prepared. These hydrogels with good biocompatibility can be injected at pH 9.0 and room temperature and rapidly form a gel under body or tumor microenvironment conditions. Ads encapsulated in hydrogels were released gradually without burst release. Moreover, these physically crosslinked hydrogels provided a protective environment for Ads and maintained their bioactivity for a long period of time. Compared to naked Ads, Ads protected by these physically crosslinked hydrogels showed strong cytotoxicity to cancer cells even after 11 days. The Ad-loaded hydrogel system also exhibited enhanced and long-term antitumor therapeutic effects in human xenograft tumor models. Due to these outstanding properties, Ad-loaded injectable hydrogels might have potential for long-term cancer treatment.

Plasma cupping induces VEGF expression in skin cells through nitric oxide-mediated activation of hypoxia inducible factor 1.

Despite a long history, the clinical efficacy of cupping therapy is still under debate. This is likely due to the lack of direct evidence for the biological actions of cupping, since the short exposure of cells to vacuum condition rarely has affects cellular activity. In this study, the medicinal properties of a recent medical technology, non-thermal plasma, were added to classical cupping and designated as 'plasma cupping' (PC). In our results, the plasma-generating efficacy was increased under a cupping-like semi-vacuum condition (410 Torr) rather than normal atmospheric pressure (760 Torr). Notably, while cupping rarely affects the angiogenic factor vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, the PC treatment on HaCaT human keratinocytes significantly induced the expression of VEGF-A. The increased expression of the VEGF-A gene after the PC treatment was expected to be a result of PC-mediated ERK protein activation. The PC-mediated activation of ERK was essential for the activity of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) 1 alpha, which is responsible for the PC-mediated expression of VEGF-A. The PC mediated increase of NO in the media was thought as a main reason for the elevated HIF-1 protein activity. In addition to the angiogenesis-promoting action of PC, it also showed anti-inflammatory activity by reducing TNF-α-mediated IL-1ß and IL-6 expression. Taken together, this study indicates the potential for PC that could enhance the clinical efficacy of cupping by adding the effects of non-thermal plasma to traditional cupping.

Development of a Highly Active Fluorescence-Based Detector for Yeast G Protein-Coupled Receptor Ste2p.

Twenty analogs of [Orn6,D-Ala9]α-factor were synthesized and assayed for their biological activities: seven analogs of [Orn6,X9]α-factor, seven analogs of [X6,D-Ala9]α-factor, five analogs of [X5,X6,D-Ala9]α-factor, and native α-factor (X = amino acids). Their biological activities (halo, gene induction, and affinity) were measured using S. cerevisiae Y7925 and LM102 and compared with those of native α-factor (100%). G protein-coupled receptor was expressed in strain LM102 containing pESC-LEU-STE2 vector. [Dap6,D-Ala9]α-factor with weak halo activity (10%) showed the highest receptor affinity (＞ 230%) and the highest gene induction activity (167%). [Arg6,D-Ala9]α-factor showed the highest halo activity (2,000%). The number of active binding sites per cell (about 20,000 for strain LM102) was determined using a newly-designed fluorescence-based detector, [Arg6,D-Ala9]α-factor-Edan, with high sensitivity (12,500-fold higher than the absorption-based detector [Orn6]α-factor-[Cys]3).

Effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for alleviating symptoms of overactive bladder: A prospective, randomized controlled, crossover-design, pilot study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate trial feasibility and explore the potential efficacy and safety of moxibustion in the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). METHOD: A randomized, controlled, cross-over, assessor blinded design was used. This study was conducted in an outpatient department of a university hospital in Republic of Korea. The overall study period was 8 weeks. Participants were randomly allotted to either Group A or Group B. Group A participants underwent 8 to 12 sessions of moxibustion with behavioral training during the first 4 weeks, while the Group B participants received behavioral training only. Over the next 4 weeks, the treatment offered to the 2 groups was reversed (Group A participants received behavioral training only, while Group B participants underwent the moxibustion session with behavioral training). The OAB-validated 8-question awareness tool (OAB-V8), OAB symptom scores (OABSS), visual analog scale (VAS) for lower urinary tract symptoms, and frequency voiding chart were used to assess outcomes. For analysis, we used effect size, measured as Hedge's g, to present descriptive results indicating the actual difference between the groups. RESULTS: Compared to that in Group B, the Hedge's g of OAB-V8 for the former 4 weeks in Group A was -0.248, that of OABSS was -1.531, and that of VAS was -0.713. During the latter 4 weeks, Group B showed similar effect with g = 0.465, 1.207, and 0.427 for OAB-V8, OABSS, and VAS, respectively, compared to Group A. The portion of nocturnal voiding volume decreased (g = -0965), the mean voiding volume increased (g = 0.690), and the voiding frequency decreased (g = -0.498) with moxibustion. CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion might be considered as an alternative for OAB. A full-sized randomized controlled trial may be feasible with minimal modification in outcome measures and comparator population. OTHER INFORMATION: This clinical trial has been registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02271607).

Selective Killing of Melanoma Cells With Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma and p-FAK Antibody Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles.

Melanomas are fast growing high-mortality tumors, and specific treatments for melanomas are needed. Melanoma cells overexpress focal adhesion kinase (FAK) compared to normal keratinocytes, and we sought to exploit this difference to create a selectively lethal therapy. We combined gold nanoparticles (GNP) with antibodies targeting phosphorylated FAK (p-FAK). These conjugates (p-FAK-GNP) entered G361 melanoma cells and bound p-FAK. Treatment with p-FAK-GNP decreased the viability of G361 cells in a time dependent manner by inducing apoptosis. To maximize the preferential killing of G361 cells, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma was used to stimulate the GNP within p-FAK-GNP. Combined treatment with plasma and p-FAK-GNP showed much higher lethality against G361 cells than HaCaT keratinocyte cells. The p-FAK-GNP induced apoptosis over 48 hours in G361 cells, whereas plasma and p-FAK-GNP killed G361 cells immediately. This study demonstrates that combining plasma with p-FAK-GNP results in selective lethality against human melanoma cells.

Synergistic antitumor effect mediated by a paclitaxel-conjugated polymeric micelle-coated oncolytic adenovirus.

Combination treatment consisting of oncolytic adenovirus (Ad) and paclitaxel (PTX) is a promising strategy to achieve synergistic antitumor effect. However, a co-administration approach is subject to inherent limitations due to the poor solubility of PTX and chemoresistance of tumor cells. In order to overcome these limitations, an oncolytic Ad expressing a p53 variant (oAd-vp53) that is resistant to p53 inactivation in the tumor microenvironment was complexed with PEGylated and PTX-conjugated polymeric micelle (APP). This approach generated an oAd-vp53/APP complex (176.4 nm in diameter) that could concurrently deliver both oncolytic Ad and the nanoparticulate drug APP to tumors. APP-complexed replication-incompetent Ad (dAd/APP) exhibited 12-fold higher transduction efficiency than naked dAd in coxsackie adenovirus receptor (CAR)-negative cancer cells. This increased efficiency was attributed to more efficient cellular internalization mediated by charge interactions between APP and anionic cell membranes. Furthermore, oAd-vp53/APP elicited synergistically higher cancer cell killing than naked oAd-vp53, APP, or oAd-vp53 in combination with PTX (oAd-vp53 + PTX); this synergistic effect was shown to be due to superior induction of apoptosis and viral replication. Importantly, oAd-vp53/APP induced more potent and synergistic antitumor effect through both local and systemic administration by enhancing replication of oncolytic Ad and induction of apoptosis in tumor tissue. Further, the APP coating on the surface of Ad markedly attenuated the host immune response against Ad and decreased hepatic sequestration, resulting in minimal hepatotoxicity and a good safety profile. These attributes enabled oAd-vp53/APP to elicit potent antitumor effect over multiple treatment cycles. Altogether, we demonstrate that concurrent delivery of oncolytic Ad and APP as a single nanocomplex is a promising strategy for achieving synergistic antitumor effect.

The topical application of low-temperature argon plasma enhances the anti-inflammatory effect of Jaun-ointment on DNCB-induced NC/Nga mice.

BACKGROUND: Jaun-ointment (JO), also known as Shiunko in Japan, is one of the most popular medicinal formulae used in Korean traditional medicine for the external treatment of skin wound and inflammatory skin conditions. Since JO is composed of crude mixture of two herbal extracts (radix of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc and Angelica gigas Nakai), those been proved its anti-inflammatory activities in-vitro and in-vivo, JO has been expected as a good alternative treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD). However, due to the lack of strategies for the penetrating methods of JO's various anti-inflammatory elements into the skin, an effective and safe transdermal drug delivery system needs to be determined. Here, low-temperature argon plasma (LTAP) was adopted as an ancillary partner of topically applied JO in a mice model of AD and the effectiveness was examined. METHODS: Dorsal skins of NC/Nga mice were challenged with DNCB (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene) to induce AD. AD-like skin lesions were treated with JO alone, or in combination with LTAP. Inflammatory activity in the skin tissues was evaluated by histological analysis and several molecular biological tests. RESULTS: LTAP enhanced the effect of JO on AD-like skin lesion. Topical application of JO partially inhibited the development of DNCB-induced AD, shown by the moderate reduction of eosinophil homing and pro-inflammatory cytokine level. Combined treatment of JO and LTAP dramatically inhibited AD phenotypes. Interestingly, treatment with JO alone did not affect the activity of nuclear factor (NF)κB/RelA in the skin, but combined treatment of LTAP-JO blocked DCNB-mediated NFκB/RelA activation. CONCLUSIONS: LTAP markedly enhanced the anti-inflammatory activity of JO on AD-like skin lesions. The effect of LTAP may be attributed to enhancement of drug penetration and regulation of NFκB activity. Therefore, the combination treatment of JO and LTAP could be a potential strategy for the treatment of AD.

The Contributory Roles of Th17 Lymphocyte and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte at the Hair Bulge Region as Well as the Hair Bulb Area in the Chronic Alopecia Areata Patients.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease that targets hair follicles and interrupts hair regrowth. The microenvironment of the effector T cells and their related cytokines may affect immunopathogenesis around the hair bulb/bulge. OBJECTIVE: To determine the contributory roles of the effector T cell subsets and related cytokines to the pathogenesis of AA. METHODS: We investigated the correlation between histopathological grades and four clinical prognostic factors in 331 patients with AA, and analyzed the topography of T cell infiltrates and related cytokines around the hair bulb/bulge according to histopathological grades through immunohistochemical and double immunofluorescence studies on a subset of AA specimens. RESULTS: First, the groups with more severe histopathological grades were associated with earlier onset, longer duration, more hair loss, as well as poorer therapeutic outcomes. Second, the pattern of CD4 and CD8 expression around the hair bulb/bulge varied by histopathological grade, with staining density decreasing in the following order: type 1>type 2>type 3. In addition, interferon-γ and transforming growth factor-ß1 expression appeared denser in the peribulbar area. Interestingly, the denser CCR6+ cells (Th17 cells) showed more infiltration than CCR5+ cells (Th1 cells) around the hair bulb/bulge as histopathological grade worsened. CONCLUSION: The insidious destruction of bulge stem cells and hair bulb matrix stem cells results in more severe hair loss in patients with chronic AA, which is mediated by Th17 lymphocyte and cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration. Furthermore, Th17 lymphocytes may play an even more important role than cytotoxic T cells in the development of AA.

Inhibition of inflammatory reactions in 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene induced Nc/Nga atopic dermatitis mice by non-thermal plasma.

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) has recently been introduced and reported as a novel tool with a range of medicinal and biological roles. Although many studies using NTP have been performed, none has investigated the direct relationship between NTP and immune responses yet. Especially, the effects of NTP on atopic dermatitis (AD) were not been explored. Here, NTP was tested whether it controls immune reactions of AD. NTP treatment was administered to pro-inflammatory cytokine-stimulated keratinocytes and DNCB (2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene)-induced atopic dermatitis mice, then the immune reactions of cells and skin tissues were monitored. Cells treated with NTP showed decreased expression levels of CCL11, CCL13, and CCL17 along with down-regulation of NF-κB activity. Repeated administration of NTP to AD-induced mice reduced the numbers of mast cells and eosinophils, IgE, CCL17, IFNγ levels, and inhibited NF-κB activity in the skin lesion. Furthermore, combined treatment with NTP and 1% hydrocortisone cream significantly decreased the immune responses of AD than that with either of these two treatments individually. Overall, this study revealed that NTP significantly inhibits several immune reactions of AD by regulating NF-κB activity. Therefore, NTP could be useful to suppress the exaggerated immune reactions in severe skin inflammatory diseases such as AD.

Targeting NEU Protein in Melanoma Cells with Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma and Gold Nanoparticles.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma effectively kills cancer cells, but it cannot selectively kill cancer cells. The authors targeted NEU (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) protein, which is frequently over-expressed in the cell membrane of melanoma cells, using anti-NEU antibody-labeled gold nanoparticles. The labeled nanoparticles preferentially targeted melanoma cells rather than normal keratinocytes. After the addition of labeled gold nanoparticles to melanoma and normal keratinocyte cells, both cells were exposed to non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma. The death rate of melanoma cells was significantly higher than that of normal keratinocyte cells; many vacuoles, indicative of cell death, were observed in melanoma cells treated with anti-NEU antibody labeled gold nanoparticles and plasma. This selective cancer cell death was attributed to the selective destruction of NEU protein and a downstream effector of NEU. Our study findings show that treatment with a combination of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma and anti-NEU antibody-labeled gold nanoparticles effectively and selectively kills melanoma cells.

Partially purified components of Uncaria sinensis attenuate blood brain barrier disruption after ischemic brain injury in mice.

BACKGROUND: Uncaria sinensis (US) has long been used in traditional Korean medicine to relieve various nervous-related symptoms and cardiovascular disease. We recently showed the neuroprotective and cerebrovascular protective effects of US on cerebral ischemia; however, its effects on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are poorly understood. In this study, the effects of partially purified components of US (PPUS) on BBB disruption were investigated in mice subjected to ischemic brain injury. METHODS: Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in C57BL/6J mice by photothrombotic cortical ischemia. PPUS was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before ischemic insults. Infarct volume, neurological score, wire-grip test, Evans blue leakage and brain water content were then examined 24 h after ischemic brain injury. RESULTS: Infarct volume was significantly reduced and neurological deficit and motor deficit were greatly improved in PPUS-pretreated mice relative to those treated with vehicle following photothrombotic cortical ischemia. Brain edema-induced change of Evans blue extravasation and water content in the ipsilateral hemisphere were alleviated by treatment with PPUS. In addition, PPUS significantly reduced ischemic brain injury-induced degradation of tight junction proteins and elevation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). CONCLUSIONS: PPUS prevents cerebral ischemic damage by BBB protection, and these effects were associated with inhibition of tight junction degradation and MMP-9 induction.

Efficacy of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma for tooth bleaching.

The conventional light source used for tooth bleaching has the potential to cause thermal damage, and the actual role of the light source is doubtful. In this study, we evaluated bleaching efficacy, temperature, and morphological safety after tooth bleaching with nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma. Tooth bleaching combined with plasma had improved efficacy in providing a higher level of brightness. The temperature of the pulp chamber was maintained around 37°C, indicating that the plasma does not cause any thermal damage. The morphological results of tooth bleaching with plasma did not affect mineral composition under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. On the basis of these results, the application of plasma and low concentration of 15% carbamide peroxide (CP) has a high capability for effective tooth bleaching. It can be documented that plasma is a safe energy source, which has no deleterious effects on the tooth surface.

Scutellariae radix induces apoptosis in chemoresistant SCC-25 human tongue squamous carcinoma cells.

Scutellariae radix is one of the most widely used anticancer herbal medicines in several Asian countries, including Korea, Japan, and China. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common head and neck carcinomas, which is highly invasive and metastatic, and can potentially develop chemoresistance. Therefore, new effective treatment methods are urgently needed. We determined the effects of Scutellariae radix on SCC-25 cells using the WST-1 assay, F-actin staining, flow cytometry analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot analysis. Scutellariae radix treatment inhibited SCC-25 cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but it did not inhibit HaCaT (human keratinocyte) cell growth. Changes in cell morphology and disruption of filamentous (F)-actin organization were observed. Scutellariae radix-induced apoptosis as indicated by the translocation of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) into the nucleus and cytosol. Scutellariae radix-induced an increase in cells with sub-G1 DNA content, and increased Bax, cleaved caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-9, DNA fragmentation factor 45 (DFF 45), and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) expression levels. Furthermore, increased expression of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-related proteins was detected. The antitumor effect of Scutellariae radix was due to decreased cell proliferation, changes in cell morphology, and the activation of caspase and MAPK pathways. Taken together, the findings of this study highlight the anticancer activity of Scutellariae radix in chemoresistant SCC-25 oral squamous carcinoma cells.

Enhancement of the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans by combined treatment with gold nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Recently, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma sources have been used for biomedical applications such as sterilization, cancer treatment, blood coagulation, and wound healing. Gold nanoparticles (gNPs) have unique optical properties and are useful for biomedical applications. Although low-temperature plasma has been shown to be effective in killing oral bacteria on agar plates, its bactericidal effect is negligible on the tooth surface. Therefore, we used 30-nm gNPs to enhance the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on human teeth. RESULTS: We tested the sterilizing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains. The survival rate was assessed by bacterial viability stains and colony-forming unit counts. Low-temperature plasma treatment alone was effective in killing S. mutans on slide glasses, as shown by the 5-log decrease in viability. However, plasma treatment of bacteria spotted onto tooth surface exhibited a 3-log reduction in viability. After gNPs were added to S. mutans, plasma treatment caused a 5-log reduction in viability, while gNPs alone did not show any bactericidal effect. The morphological changes in S. mutans caused by plasma treatment were examined by transmission electron microscopy, which showed that plasma treatment only perforated the cell walls, while the combination treatment with plasma and gold nanoparticles caused significant cell rupture, causing loss of intracellular components from many cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that low-temperature plasma treatment is effective in killing S. mutans and that its killing effect is further enhanced when used in combination with gNPs.

Long-term survival analysis and clinical follow-up in acral lentiginous malignant melanoma undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy in korean patients.

BACKGROUND: In cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) with clinically uninvolved regional lymph nodes, sentinel lymph node (SLN) status is the most powerful indicator of both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). However, no studies on the long-term survival and clinical follow-up of Korean patients with acral lentiginous MM (ALM) undergoing SLN biopsy (SLNB) have been published. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical prognosis and long-term survival of Korean patients with ALM according to SLN status. METHODS: Thirty-four ALM patients undergoing SLNB were included in this study. We evaluated clinical and histopathological follow-up data such as the stage of disease, treatment, recurrence, and metastasis, and analyzed OS and DFS according to SLN status. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 60.5 months (range 3~127 months). Positive SLNs were noted in 14 patients (41.2%). Patients with negative SLNs had better OS and DFS than those with positive SLNs (p<0.05). Increased Breslow thickness was associated with short OS and DFS (p<0.05), and female patients showed better DFS than male patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study on the long-term survival and clinical follow-up of patients undergoing SLNB for ALM in Korea. Our findings show that SLN status is an important prognostic factor for predicting OS and DFS.