PLASMA-INDUCED DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR MECHANISMS: INVESTIGATING GENETIC IMPACT AND CELLULAR RESPONSE PATHWAYS

The interaction of plasma with biological systems has emerged as a transformative approach in modern biomedicine, with applications spanning cancer therapy,wound healing,tissue regeneration,and microbial decontamination.Among various plasma types,Cold Atmospheric Plasma(CAP)has gained prominence due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) at near-room temperatures, making it suitable for direct biological applications. However, CAP can also cause DNA damage, which raises concerns about its potential genotoxic effects.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of how CAP induces various types of DNA lesions, such as single- and double-strand breaks, base modifications, and crosslinks, through the action of RONS. It further delves into the complex cellular responses activated upon such damage, including key DNA repair pathways like base excision repair (BER), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and homologous recombination (HR). Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for harnessing plasma’s therapeutic potential while ensuring genomic safety in clinical applications.