Magnetic nanoparticles improve drug delivery in tumors

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new method to help cancer treatments penetrate deeper into tumors. Their study, published in ACS Nano, focuses on a technique involving magnetic nanoparticles that can be guided through solid tumor tissue more effectively than traditional drug delivery methods. Many cancer treatments often fail because they cannot reach the depths of solid tumors. The researchers created therapeutic nanoparticles with magnetic cores and used an external magnetic device to pull these particles into the tumor. In tests conducted on mice with triple-negative breast cancer, this approach significantly slowed tumor growth compared to treatments without magnetism. "This is promising, especially since effective treatments for triple-negative breast cancer are limited," said Tatjana Atanasijevic, a scientific program manager. The magnetic nanoparticles can carry drugs and help visualize the tumor, while also overcoming physical barriers that hinder other treatments. Cancer treatments like chemotherapy can harm healthy cells and tissues, making targeted therapy essential. To do this, the research team utilized the unique structure of tumor blood vessels, which are often leaky. Previous methods using nanoparticles had limited success as they usually got trapped near the blood vessels and did not penetrate further into tumors. The new technique involves a more advanced magnetic system that produces a stronger magnetic field over a broader area. This system was designed to achieve better distribution of the nanoparticles throughout the tumor. The nanoparticles help deliver a light-sensitive drug that becomes toxic to cancer cells when activated by a certain wavelength of light. In their experiments, the researchers injected mice with the magnetic nanoparticles and then applied the magnetic field for three hours. They found that the nanoparticles accumulated much more inside the tumors, compared to other groups where no magnetic field was used. This led to a significant reduction in tumor growth. Having successfully improved drug delivery into tumors, the researchers are now looking to develop larger versions of their magnetic system that could be used in human treatments. They are also exploring its potential for other health conditions where drugs struggle to penetrate effectively, such as osteoarthritis and lung diseases. The team believes their technology could eventually be used in a variety of medical applications.