Induction of growth arrest in colorectal cancer cells by cold plasma and gold nanoparticles

INTRODUCTION Guided treatments with nanoparticles and cold atmospheric plasma are a new approach in cancer therapy. Plasma is an ionized gas that has reactive and energetic particles and can be produced in the laboratory by different methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS Plasma jet therapy was employed to irradiate HCT-116 cells (human colorectal cancer cells) which were cultured in the presence of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Cell cytotoxicity was tested with 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), and cancerous cell apoptosis was shown by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. RESULTS The results showed that cell death was increased significantly with p < 0.001 by cold atmospheric plasma in the presence of gold nanoparticles. CONCLUSIONS It appears that non-thermal plasma and gold nanoparticles synergism is a promising approach in colon cancer therapy.