Doxorubicin release triggered by alginate embedded magnetic nanoheaters: a combined therapy

Biohydrogels with magnetic nanoparticles as crosslinker: characteristics and potential use for controlled antitumor drug-delivery

Hybrid magnetic hydrogels are of interest for applications in biomedical science as controlled drug-delivery systems. We have developed a strategy to obtain novel hybrid hydrogels with magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) of CoFe(2)O(3) and Fe(3)O(4) as crosslinker agents of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) or hyaluronic acid (HYAL) polymers and we have tested these systems for controlled doxorubicin release. The magnetic NPs are functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) in order to introduce amino groups on the surface. The amino coating is determined and quantified by standard Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods, and by cyclic voltammetry, a novel approach that permits us to look at the solution properties of the functionalized NPs. The gel formation involves the creation of an amide bond between the carboxylic groups of CMC or HYAL and the amine groups of functionalized NPs, which work as crosslinking agents of the polymer chains. The hybrid hydrogels are chemically and morphologically characterized. The rheological and the water uptake properties of the hydrogels are also investigated. Under the application of an alternating magnetic field, the CMC-HYAL hybrid hydrogel previously loaded with doxorubicin shows a drug release greater than that showed by the CMC-HYAL hydrogel crosslinked with 1,3-diaminopropane. In conclusion, the presence of magnetic NPs makes the synthesized hybrid hydrogels suitable for application as a drug-delivery system by means of alternating magnetic fields.

Magnetic nanobeads decorated with silver nanoparticles as cytotoxic agents and photothermal probes

A versatile method for decorating magnetic nanobeads (being composite materials from polymers and superparamagnetic nanoparticles) with silver nanoparticles of 3-6 nm size is presented. Control over the silver nanoparticle coverage at the nanobead surface is achieved by changing the reaction parameters. Moreover, the silver-decorated magnetic nanobeads (Ag-MNBs) are studied with respect to their in vitro cytotoxicity on two distinct tumour cell lineages under different parameters, i.e., dose, incubation time, magnetic field applied during the culturing, silver ion leakage, and colloidal stability. It is found that enhanced magnetically mediated cellular uptake and silver ion leakage from the Ag-MNBs surface are the main factors which affect the toxicity of the Ag-MNBs and allow the half-maximal inhibitory dose of silver to be reduced to only 32 μg mL(-1) . Furthermore, a synergic cytotoxicity induced by photo-activation of silver nanoparticles was also found.

Iron oxide-based nanostructures for MRI and magnetic hyperthermia

Many different nanostructures have been developed for biomedical applications to date. Among them, iron oxide nanoparticles have been very prominent in MRI in diagnostic radiology. Nowadays, nanoparticle-based therapeutic applications have gained increased interest, leading to the development of a great variety of different and, in parts, sophisticated nanoparticle formulations. Whereas nanotherapy has been confined to the preclinical phase, magnetic hyperthermia has entered into the clinical phase via controlled studies in patients. Owing to the versatility of nanoparticles, researchers envision the combination of multiple modalities (e.g., targeting, diagnostics and therapy) to one carrier. Nevertheless, such approaches have been challenging due to the necessity of the adaptation of at least partially counteracting parameters between the different modalities, which will be analyzed in this review.

Nuclear mapping of nanodrug delivery systems in dynamic cellular environments

Nanoformulations have shown great promise for delivering chemotherapeutics and hold tremendous clinical relevance. However nuclear mapping of the chemodrugs is important to predict the success of the nanoformulation. In this study fluorescence microscopy and a subcellular tracking algorithm were used to map the diffusion of chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer cells. Positively charged nanoparticles efficiently carried the chemodrug across the cell membrane. The algorithm helped map free drug and drug-loaded nanoparticles, revealing a varying nuclear diffusion pattern of the chemotherapeutics in drug-sensitive and -resistant cells in a live dynamic cellular environment. While the drug-sensitive cells showed an exponential uptake of the drug with time, resistant cells showed random and asymmetric drug distribution. Moreover nanoparticles carrying the drug remained in the perinuclear region, while the drug accumulated in the cell nuclei. The tracking approach has enabled us to predict the therapeutic success of different nanoscale formulations of doxorubicin.

Chemical guiding of magnetic nanoparticles in dispersed media containing poly-(methylmethacrylate-co-vinylpyrrolidone)

The differential reactivity of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and vinylpyrrolidone (VP) in free radical copolymerization, with stirring in methanol, renders an emulsified two phase system. The dispersed and continuous liquid phases contain copolymers rich in MMA and VP, respectively. When Fe(3)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) stabilized with tetramethylammonium hydroxide are added to this emulsion, the mNPs are located in the continuous phase. Very small chemical changes in the methacrylic or vinylic chains are able to guide the mNP toward the interface or to the inside of the dispersed phase since quite a selective functionalization of each phase may be achieved separately. Thus, a small addition of methacrylic acid as comonomer (0.5% molar) guides all of the mNPs to the interface while a 0.5% molar of sulfopropyl methacrylate induces the migration of all mNPs to the dispersed phase. When 0.5% molar of a VP derivative bearing sulfonate functionality is added, the mNPs are found both in the interface and in the continuous phase. The addition of water allows solid MMA-based microspheres to be obtained incorporating the mNPs selectively either at the surface or in the core.

Multifunctional nanocapsules for simultaneous encapsulation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds and on-demand release

Cocktail therapy by delivering multiple drugs to diseased cells can elicit synergistic therapeutic effects and better modulate the complex cell-signaling network. Besides selection of drug combinations, a difficulty in delivery is how to encapsulate drugs with various solubility into a common vehicle, particularly when both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds are involved. Furthermore, it is highly desirable that the drug release profile can be controlled in an on-demand fashion for balanced therapeutic and side effects. On the basis of a simple and scalable double emulsion approach, we report a new class of nanocapsules that can solve these problems simultaneously. Further linking the nanocapsules with peptides targeting cell surface integrins leads to significantly enhanced cell uptake of the nanocapsules. Intracellular drug release triggered by external stimuli has also been achieved without affecting cell viability. Further development of this technology should open exciting opportunities in treating tough diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases.

Promising approaches in using magnetic nanoparticles in oncology

The development of new and effective drug delivery systems for cancer treatment represents one of the significant challenges facing biomedical technology in the last decade. Among the different methods of drug delivery, magnetic drug targeting, by enabling specific delivery of chemotherapeutic agents through the use of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic field gradient, could be a promising approach. Recently, magnetic nanoparticles have attracted additional attention because of their potential as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging and heat mediators for cancer therapy. This review summarizes these approaches in the use of magnetic nanoparticles in biomedical applications and novel methods for their optimization.

Redox-responsive molecular nanoreservoirs for controlled intracellular anticancer drug delivery based on magnetic nanoparticles

A novel redox responsive controlled drug release system based on magnetic nanoparticles for efficient intracellular anticancer drug delivery is fabricated. Disulfide bonds are employed as intermediate linkers to immobilize PEI/β-CD molecules as nanoreservoirs for drug loading onto magnetic nanoparticles. The endocytotic pathway and endosomal escape of the smart controlled drug release system is proposed.

Long term in vivo biotransformation of iron oxide nanoparticles

The long term outcome of nanoparticles in the organism is one of the most important concerns raised by the development of nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Little is known on the way taken by cells to process and degrade nanoparticles over time. In this context, iron oxide superparamagnetic nanoparticles benefit from a privileged status, because they show a very good tolerance profile, allowing their clinical use for MRI diagnosis. It is generally assumed that the specialized metabolism which regulates iron in the organism can also handle iron oxide nanoparticles. However the biotransformation of iron oxide nanoparticles is still not elucidated. Here we propose a multiscale approach to study the fate of nanomagnets in the organism. Ferromagnetic resonance and SQUID magnetization measurements are used to quantify iron oxide nanoparticles and follow the evolution of their magnetic properties. A nanoscale structural analysis by electron microscopy complements the magnetic follow-up of nanoparticles injected to mice. We evidence the biotransformation of superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles into poorly-magnetic iron species probably stored into ferritin proteins over a period of three months. A putative mechanism is proposed for the biotransformation of iron-oxide nanoparticles.