Alginate Beads Containing Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Doxorubicin for Dual Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Recently, therapeutic embolization has paid attention to medical doctors as one of the clinical treatments which is a non-surgical, minimally invasive, and image-guided method involving injection of a special material or a device into a blood vessel. Various embolic materials such as gelform, metal, glass, or plastic pellets to occlude one or more blood vessels are under the investigation. However, they are not necessarily satisfactory for clinical use, due to their reported complications and the frequent incidence of microcatheter clogging caused from the irregular shape. In this study, microbeads made of alginate, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, were used as embolic materials. To induce hyperthermia and chemotherapy, stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and doxorubicin, an anti-cancer drug, were encapsulated in alginate beads. Homogeneously size-controlled alginate beads were investigated by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta (ζ)-potential, and the polymer was also evaluated by 1H-NMR spectra and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. According to the research, doxorubicin releasing in alginate beads were controlled by temperature increasing. After injection of alginate beads for catheter embolization, the beads containing iron oxide nanoparticles and doxorubicin were observed in the liver tissue by Hematoxylin & Eosin histology. Temperature increase by application of magnetic field induces hyperemia by iron oxide nanoparticles, and the heat controls the release of drugs from the microbeads. Consequently, successful duel cancer therapy which is combination of hyperthermal therapy and chemotherapy by alginate beads contribute to elimination of tumor cells.