Movement of magnetic nanoparticles in brain tissue: mechanisms and impact on normal neuronal function

• Published in: Nanomedicine Vol. 11; no. 7; pp. 1821 - 1829
• Main Authors: Ramaswamy, Bharath, Kulkarni, Sandip D., Villar, Pablo S., Smith, Richard S., Eberly, Christian, Araneda, Ricardo C., Depireux, Didier A., Shapiro, Benjamin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier - drug effects; Brain; Brain - drug effects; Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems - adverse effects; Humans; Internal Medicine; Magnetic Fields; Magnetic nanoparticles; Magnetite Nanoparticles - administration & dosage; Magnetite Nanoparticles - adverse effects; Magnetite Nanoparticles - chemistry; Mice; Neurons - drug effects; Safety; Theranostic Nanomedicine; Tissue Distribution - drug effects; Transport; Brain; Drug delivery; Safety; Transport; Magnetic nanoparticles
• ISSN: 1549-9634; 1549-9642; 1549-9642
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2015.06.003

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used as effective vehicles for targeted delivery of theranostic agents in the brain. The advantage of magnetic targeting lies in the ability to control the concentration and distribution of therapy to a desired target region using external driving magnets. In this study, we investigated the behavior and safety of MNP motion in brain tissue. We found that MNPs move and form nanoparticle chains in the presence of a uniform magnetic field, and that this chaining is influenced by the applied magnetic field intensity and the concentration of MNPs in the tissue. Using electrophysiology recordings, immunohistochemistry and fluorescent imaging we assessed the functional health of neurons and neural circuits and found no adverse effects associated with MNP motion through brain tissue. Much research has been done to test the use of nanocarriers for gaining access across the blood brain barrier (BBB). In this respect, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are one of the most studied candidates. Nonetheless, the behavior and safety of MNP once inside brain tissue remains unknown. In this article, the authors thus studied this very important subject. We studied the mechanisms of magnetic field induced motion of magnetic nanoparticles in brain tissue. In addition, we determined the safety of moving magnetic nanoparticles in the brain using electrophysiological recordings, calcium imaging and immunohistochemistry. [Display omitted]