The Necessity of Radicals for Gene Transfection by Discharge Plasma Irradiation

Abstract

The authors parametrically investigated gene transfection process with a micro capillary discharge. Several factors and the time scale at which they became effective were studied. The conclusion is that half of transfections occur during plasma irradiation and the other half occur after plasma irradiation is stopped. As the electric field and current become zero after plasma irradiation is terminated, we conclude that during that period radical species are necessary for the transfection.

State of the art in medical applications using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma

“…Transfection achieved using viruses is often called transduction. Novel approaches using non-thermal plasma have recently been developed (Jinno et al 2014;Sasaki et al 2014).…”

“…40). Jinno et al 2014 investigated the gene transfection process using a micro capillary discharge device (see Fig. 41) and found that half of the transfection process occurred during plasma irradiation and the other half occurred after plasma irradiation stopped.…”

“…When a high-voltage (V p-p ) power supply with a frequency of 10 kHz is turned on, the generated dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma flows out from the nozzle of the quartz glass tube and the living cells in a suspension consisting of genes are irradiated with the plasma Fig. 41 Gene transfection using a micro capillary discharge device (Jinno et al 2014). The device consists of a copper electrode which was a capillary with 70 lm outer diameter and 20 lm inner diameter, an XYZ-stage with copper plate electrode on which a 96-well plate was set with cells and plasmid Fig.…”

Monte Carlo Poration Model of Cell Membranes for Application to Plasma Gene Transfection

“…The plasma species impacting the membrane come from a low temperature air micro‐plasma generated at atmospheric pressure. This plasma setup has been already used for gene transfection . It can be considered as a pulsed corona discharge generated in ambient air from the tip of an anodic copper tube of 70 μm for outer diameter.…”

“…The present Monte Carlo model is aimed to statistically simulate, at a global (or macro) scale, the pore formation during atmospheric pressure plasma interactions with cell membrane. The plasma species interacting with membrane come from a low temperature micro‐plasma generated in air at atmospheric pressure already used for gene transfection . In our preliminary Monte Carlo simulations, a simplified model membrane is assumed as a superposition of four layers involving two internal phospholipid‐like layers surrounded by two external protein‐like layers.…”