2. Academic Validation
  3. Cold atmospheric plasma-activated liquid inhibits peritoneal metastasis in drug-resistant ovarian cancer by targeting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Cold atmospheric plasma-activated liquid inhibits peritoneal metastasis in drug-resistant ovarian cancer by targeting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

  • Clin Exp Metastasis. 2025 Aug 7;42(5):46. doi: 10.1007/s10585-025-10367-w.
Jinren Liu 1 2,  Xiangni Wang 1,  Yixin Cui 1,  Jiajia Lu 1,  Zhirou He 1,  Yulin Xu 1,  Rongrong Li 1,  Guimin Xu 3 4,  Lingge Gao 5,  Xiaolin Fan 2,  Xili Wu 6,  Xingmin Shi 7,  Guanjun Zhang 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
  • 2 Xi'an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, Xi'an, China.
  • 3 School of Electronics and Control Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
  • 5 Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
  • 6 the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
  • 7 Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. shixingmin142@163.com.
  • 8 State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. gjzhang@xjtu.edu.cn.
PMID: 40772995 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-025-10367-w
Abstract

Ovarian Cancer remains a significant challenge in oncology due to its aggressive nature, late-stage diagnosis, and high rates of chemoresistance, particularly to platinum-based therapies like cisplatin. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key driver of ovarian Cancer metastasis and drug resistance, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and plasma-activated liquids (PAL), including plasma-activated medium (PAM) and saline (PAS), have emerged as promising Anticancer agents, generating reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that selectively target Cancer cells. This study investigates the potential of PAL to inhibit the invasion and metastasis of cisplatin-resistant ovarian Cancer cells and explores its synergistic effects with cisplatin. In vitro, PAM reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion of cisplatin-resistant ovarian Cancer cells (A2780/DDP and SKOV3/DDP) while downregulating EMT-related proteins (N-Cadherin, β-catenin, vimentin). H2O2 in PAM inhibit the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway, promoting degradation of EMT regulators Snail, Slug, and β-catenin. Combining PAM with cisplatin enhanced therapeutic efficacy, reducing cell viability and metastatic potential. In vivo studies using an orthotopic mouse model further confirmed that PAS combined with low-dose cisplatin effectively suppressed tumor growth and metastasis with minimal side effects. These findings underscore the potential of PAL as an Adjuvant therapy for cisplatin-resistant ovarian Cancer, offering a novel approach to overcome drug resistance and inhibit metastasis. Future research should focus on optimizing treatment protocols and elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of PAL and cisplatin.

Keywords

Cisplatin resistance; Combination therapy; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Ovarian cancer; Plasma-activated liquids.

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