Magnetic Drug Delivery Nanoparticles for Combined Cancer Therapies

Introduction A century ago, Paul Ehrlich imagined the concept of selectively target a pathogen without affecting the host using the “magic bullet”. Since twenty years, researchers in cancer therapy were particularly... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction

A century ago, Paul Ehrlich imagined the concept of selectively target a pathogen without affecting the host using the “magic bullet”. Since twenty years, researchers in cancer therapy were particularly inspired by the idea. The engineering of tiny systems to detect, diagnose and treat disease gave rise to the most promising advances in the fight against cancer, the nanomedicine.¹

Before becoming an extraordinary fruitful market, nanotechnology was a crazy idea in the mind of science fiction writers. In the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage, a team of researchers is reduced and injected into the blood stream.

Methods

In this aim, we developed, magnetic theranostic platforms that can be loaded with chemotherapeutics and provide targeted and sustained delivery to target tumor cells as well as control over not only the timing but the location of cargo delivery, in order to optimize the drug efficiency.

Results

Our first theranostic platform is a triply stimuli-responsive supramolecular drug delivery system based on cucurbit[7]uril-modified iron-oxide NPs (CB[7]NPs) specific to cancer cells with minimal toxicity to non-cancer models.^2-3 These particles can act simultaneously as heat-mediators for hyperthermia treatment and as delivery vehicles for the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (Dox).

Our second strategy is based on mesoporous iron-oxide nanoparticles loaded with Dox and coated with a thermo-sensitive polymer (Dox@F108-mNPs).⁴ Dox@F108-mNPs are stable in physiological conditions and release slowly their cargo under acidic conditions or suddenly with magnetic heating. The treatment of cancer cells with both Dox@F108-mNPs and magnetically-induced hyperthermia drastically reduced cancer cell viability compared to Dox or Dox@F108-mNPs treatment alone.

Discussion

Both innovative ‘theranostic’ strategies will have the potential to pave the way for treatment of cancer in a highly selective and effective, yet relatively sensitive, manner and will surely result in the personalization of chemotherapy for improved patient outcomes.

1.         T. Skorjanc, F. Benyettou, J. C. Olsen and A. Trabolsi, Chem.Eur.J., 2017, DOI: 10.1002/chem.201605246.

2.         F. Benyettou, A. Trabolsi and al., J.Mater.Chem. B, 2013, 1, 5076.

3.         F. Benyettou, A. Trabolsi and al., RSCAdv., 2017, 7, 23827.

4.         F. Benyettou, A. Trabolsi and al., Chem.Eur.J., 2016, 22, 17020.