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Despite continuous advances in therapy, malignant melanoma is still among the deadliest
types of cancer. At the same time, owing to its high plasticity and immunogenicity, melanoma is
regarded as a model tumor entity when testing new treatment approaches. Cold physical plasma is a
novel anticancer tool that utilizes a plethora of reactive oxygen species (ROS) being deposited on the
target cells and tissues. To test whether plasma treatment would enhance the toxicity of an established
antitumor therapy, ionizing radiation, we combined both physical treatment modalities targeting
B16F10 murine melanoma cell in vitro. Repeated rather than single radiotherapy, in combination
with gas plasma-introduced ROS, induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in an additive fashion. In
tendency, gas plasma treatment sensitized the cells to subsequent radiotherapy rather than the other
way around. This was concomitant with increased levels of TNFα, IL6, and GM-CSF in supernatants.
Murine JAWS dendritic cells cultured in these supernatants showed an increased expression of cell
surface activation markers, such as MHCII and CD83. For PD-L1 and PD-L2, increased expression
was observed. Our results are the first to suggest an additive therapeutic effect of gas plasma and
radiotherapy, and translational tumor models are needed to develop this concept further.
Considering cancer not only as malignant cells on their own but as a complex disease in which tumor cells interact and communicate with their microenvironment has motivated the establishment of clinically relevant 3D models in past years. Technological advances gave rise to novel bioengineered models, improved organoid systems, and microfabrication approaches, increasing scientific importance in preclinical research. Notwithstanding, mammalian in vivo models remain closest to mimic the patient’s situation but are limited by cost, time, and ethical constraints. Herein, the in ovo model bridges the gap as an advanced model for basic and translational cancer research without the need for ethical approval. With the avian embryo being a naturally immunodeficient host, tumor cells and primary tissues can be engrafted on the vascularized chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) with high efficiencies regardless of species-specific restrictions. The extraembryonic membranes are connected to the embryo through a continuous circulatory system, readily accessible for manipulation or longitudinal monitoring of tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and matrix remodeling. However, its applicability in immunoncological research is largely underexplored. Dual engrafting of malignant and immune cells could provide a platform to study tumor-immune cell interactions in a complex, heterogenic and dynamic microenvironment with high reproducibility. With some caveats to keep in mind, versatile methods for in and ex ovo monitoring of cellular and molecular dynamics already established in ovo are applicable alike. In this view, the present review aims to emphasize and discuss opportunities and limitations of the chicken embryo model for pre-clinical research in cancer and cancer immunology.
The first Therapeutic ROS and Immunity in Cancer (TRIC) meeting was organized by the excellence research center ZIK plasmatis (with its previous Frontiers in Redox Biochemistry and Medicine (FiRBaM) and Young Professionals’ Workshop in Plasma Medicine (YPWPM) workshop series in Northern Germany) and the excellence research program ONKOTHER-H (Rostock/Greifswald, Germany). The meeting showcased cutting-edge research and liberated discussions on the application of therapeutic ROS and immunology in cancer treatment, primarily focusing on gas plasma technology. The 2-day hybrid meeting took place in Greifswald and online from 15–16 July 2021, facilitating a wide range of participants totaling 66 scientists from 12 countries and 5 continents. The meeting aimed at bringing together researchers from a variety of disciplines, including chemists, biochemists, biologists, engineers, immunologists, physicists, and physicians for interdisciplinary discussions on using therapeutic ROS and medical gas plasma technology in cancer therapy with the four main sessions: “Plasma, Cancer, Immunity”, “Plasma combination therapies”, “Plasma risk assessment and patients studies”, and “Plasma mechanisms and treated liquids in cancer”. This conference report outlines the abstracts of attending scientists submitted to this meeting.