Integration of iron oxide nanoparticles and polyaspartamide biopolymer for MRI image contrast enhancement and an efficient drug-delivery system in cancer therapy

Nanotechnology. 2020 Aug 14;31(33):335712. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab8f49. Epub 2020 May 1.

Abstract

We integrate superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with polyaspartamide (PA) biopolymer to form a biological construct that functions as a tracking, targeting and drug-delivery system for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Iron oxide nanoparticles with uniformly distributed average spherical diameters of around 10 nm and superparamagnetic characteristics play a key role in increasing the transverse 1/T 2 relaxation rate or darkening the T 2-weighted MR image for cancer diagnosis using MRI. In in vitro MRI testing on cancer cells, the MR images of samples with the bio-constructshow a much clearer contrast effect than those of controls. The PA biopolymer plays an essential role in enhancing the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of the bio-construct. In addition, as a multifunctional polymer, PA is conjugated with biotin and doxorubicin (Dox) functional groups to enhance targeting and impairment of cancer cells. In in vivo testing on cancer tumors, injection with the bio-construct decreased the magnitude of cancer tumor volume growth by three times compared with that of uninjected controls. The physicochemical characteristics of the bio-construct and the roles of biotin and Dox functional groups are examined and discussed in detail.

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Biopolymers / administration & dosage*
  • Biopolymers / chemistry
  • Biotin / chemistry*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Contrast Media / administration & dosage*
  • Contrast Media / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mice
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biopolymers
  • Contrast Media
  • Biotin
  • Doxorubicin