Uniquely designed magnetic nanoparticles offer revolution in cancer treatment

The new magnetic nanoparticles in the form of a cube that are sandwiches between two pyramids represent an important discovery for the treatment of ovarian tumors and possibly other types of cancer, according to researchers at the University of Oregon who developed them.

Scientists say that the study emphasizes the importance of the shape in the design of a magnetic nanoparticine and that the findings will possibly invest in heat -use treatments to damage or kill cancer cells.

Made of iron oxide and attracted to cobalt, nanoparticles have excellent heating performance when exposed to an alternate magnetic field. Doping refers to the addition of something as a means of adapting the features.

When particles accumulate in cancer tissue after intravenous injection, they are able to rapidly rise to temperatures that weaken or destroy cancer cells.

The mouse model study, published in advanced functional materials, is part of the continuing nanoheatics research by scientists at the OSU College.

Nanoparticles are pieces of matter as tiny as one billion of a meter that have special properties due to their small size and high -proportion in volume.

Magnetic nanoparticles have shown anti -cancer potential for years, scientists say, but at present, magnetic hyperthermia can typically be used only for patients whose tumors are accessible from a subcutaneous needle – that is, if particles can be infused.

With the available magnetic nanoparticles today, the required therapeutic temperatures – over 44 degrees Celsius – can only be achieved by direct injection. And these nanoparticles only have moderate heating efficiency, which means you need high concentration from the volume – higher than systematic administration can usually achieve – to produce enough heat. “

Oleh Taratula, Professor of Pharmacy Sciences, Oregon University

Taratula and his associates at Oregon State, Health & Science University of Oregon and the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, have used a new method of thermal decomposition-a two-stage process called seeds and growth-to make nanoparticles of oxide nanoparticles. Their paper is the first report of this type of nanoparticine with this particular figure.

“These nanoparticles have a remarkable ability to warm up quickly, increasing temperatures by 3.73 degrees Celsius per second under an alternating magnetic field,” said Prem Singh, a postdoctoral researcher at the College of Pharmacy. “This is twice as high as the heating of the previously published iron nanoparticles of iron with Cobalt.”

This means that a patient with ovarian cancer could receive an intravenous injection and stop its tumor after a 30 -minute, non -invasive magnetic field session. Short treatment sessions enhance the patient’s comfort and compliance, the researchers note.

A cancer targeting peptide helps nanoparticles accumulate in the tumor and because the performance of the particles is so strong, the necessary concentration of nanoparticles can be achieved without high dosage, restrictive toxicity and side effects.

“This is the first time that systematically entering nanoparticles have been shown that tumors beyond 50 ° C, significantly exceeding the 44 ° C therapeutic threshold for effective treatment at clinically related dose,” said Olena Taratula, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in OSU. “There is now many possibilities to extend the application of magnetic hyperthermia to a variety of hard tumors, making treatment more flexible and widely used.”

Oregon’s Kartickraja Duraisamy, Constanze Raitmayr, Shitaljit Sharma, Tetiana Korzun, Abraham Moses, Vladislav Grigoriev, Ananiya Demessie, Youngrong Park, Yoon Tae Goe, Babak Mamnoon and Ana Paula mesquita souza, contribute to the study.

The National Institute of Cancer of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Health and Human Development of Eunice Kennedy Shriver supported this research.