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Changes in the biomechanical properties of a single cell induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure micro‐dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Author(s) -
Choi Hyeongwon,
Choi Eun Ha,
Kim Kyung Sook
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.22902
Subject(s) - hela , dielectric barrier discharge , biophysics , atmospheric pressure plasma , cell , atmospheric pressure , chemistry , fibroblast , elastic modulus , plasma , cell culture , materials science , raman spectroscopy , dielectric , composite material , biochemistry , biology , optoelectronics , optics , in vitro , physics , oceanography , genetics , quantum mechanics , geology
Mechanical properties of a single cell are closely related to the fate and functions of the cell. Changes in mechanical properties may cause diseases or cell apoptosis. Selective cytotoxic effects of nonthermal atmospheric pressure micro‐dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma have been demonstrated on cancer cells. In this work, changes in the mechanical properties of a single cell induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure micro‐DBD plasma were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and SiHa) and normal human fibroblast cells (HFBs) were exposed to micro‐DBD plasma for various exposure times. The elasticity of a single cell was determined by force–distance curve measurement using AFM. Young's modulus was decreased by plasma treatment for all cells. The Young's modulus of plasma‐treated HeLa cells was decreased by 75% compared to nontreated HeLa cells. In SiHa cells and HFBs, elasticity was decreased slightly. Chemical changes induced by the plasma treatment, which were observed by Raman spectroscopy, were also significant in HeLa cells compared to SiHa cells and HFBs. These results suggested that the molecular changes induced by micro‐DBD plasma were related to cell mechanical changes.