Nanoparticles exhibiting self-regulating temperature as innovative agents for Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia

• Published in: Nanotheranostics (Sydney, NSW) Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 333 - 347
• Main Authors: Gerosa, Marco, Grande, Marco Dal, Busato, Alice, Vurro, Federica, Cisterna, Barbara, Forlin, Enrico, Gherlinzoni, Filippo, Morana, Giovanni, Gottardi, Michele, Matteazzi, Paolo, Speghini, Adolfo, Marzola, Pasquina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Ivyspring International Publisher 2021
• Subjects: Animals; Breast Neoplasms - therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Female; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced - methods; Magnetics; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Mice; Neoplasms - therapy; Powder Diffraction; Research Paper; Temperature; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Nanoparticles; MRI; Self-regulating temperature; Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia; Curie temperature
• ISSN: 2206-7418; 2206-7418
• DOI: 10.7150/ntno.55695

During the last few years, for therapeutic purposes in oncology, considerable attention has been focused on a method called magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) based on local heating of tumor cells. In this paper, an innovative, promising nanomaterial, M48 composed of iron oxide-based phases has been tested. M48 shows self-regulating temperature due to the observable second order magnetic phase transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic state. A specific hydrophilic coating based on both citrate ions and glucose molecules allows high biocompatibility of the nanomaterial in biological matrices and its use . MFH mediator efficiency is demonstrated and in breast cancer cells and tumors, confirming excellent features for biomedical application. The temperature increase, up to the Curie temperature, gives rise to a phase transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic state, promoting a shortage of the r transversal relaxivity that allows a switch in the contrast in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Combining this feature with a competitive high transversal (spin-spin) relaxivity, M48 paves the way for a new class of temperature sensitive T relaxing contrast agents. Overall, the results obtained in this study prepare for a more affordable and tunable heating mechanism preventing the damages of the surrounding healthy tissues and, at the same time, allowing monitoring of the temperature reached.