Combined chemo-magnetic field-photothermal breast cancer therapy based on porous magnetite nanospheres

Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 3;10(1):5925. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62429-6.

Abstract

The efficacy of different modalities of treating breast cancer is inhibited by several limitations such as off-targeted drug distribution, rapid drug clearance, and drug resistance. To overcome these limitations, we developed Lf-Doxo-PMNSs for combined chemo-MF-PTT. The PMNSs were synthesized by hydrothermal method and their physicochemical properties were examined by FE-SEM, TEM, DLS, TGA, XRD investigations. The cytotoxicity of as-synthesized NPs against 4T1 cells was carried out by MTT and flow cytometry assays. Afterwards, the anti-cancer activities of as-synthesized Lf-Doxo-PMNSs on the tumor status, drug distribution and apoptosis mechanism were evaluated. The anti-cancer assays showed that Lf-Doxo-PMNSs significantly suppressed the cancer cell proliferation and tumor weight by prolonging drug availability and potential drug loading in tumor cells; whereas they showed a minimum cytotoxicity against non-cancerous cells. Likewise, combined chemo-MF-PTT using Lf-Doxo-PMNSs displayed the highest anti-cancer activity followed by combined chemo-PTT and combined chemo-MF therapy based on altering the apoptosis mechanism. Therefore, these results showed that combined chemo-MF-PTT based on Lf-Doxo-PMNSs can be used as a promising therapeutic platform with potential targeted drug delivery and high loading capacity features as well as reducing cancer drug resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor / transplantation
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacokinetics
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Drug Liberation
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / methods*
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Magnetic Field Therapy / methods*
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Nanospheres / chemistry
  • Photochemotherapy / methods*
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles
  • Doxorubicin