A Comparative Study of Receptor-Targeted Magnetosome and HSA-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as MRI Contrast-Enhancing Agent in Animal Cancer Model

Abstract

Magnetosomes are specialized organelles arranged in intracellular chains in magnetotactic bacteria. The superparamagnetic property of these magnetite crystals provides potential applications as contrast-enhancing agents for magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, we compared two different nanoparticles that are bacterial magnetosome and HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for targeting breast cancer. Both magnetosomes and HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were chemically conjugated to fluorescent-labeled anti-EGFR antibodies. Antibody-conjugated nanoparticles were able to bind the MDA-MB-231 cell line, as assessed by flow cytometry. To compare the cytotoxic effect of nanoparticles, MTT assay was used, and according to the results, HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were less cytotoxic to breast cancer cells than magnetosomes. Magnetosomes were bound with higher rate to breast cancer cells than HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. While 250 μg/ml of magnetosomes was bound 92 ± 0.2%, 250 μg/ml of HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was bound with a rate of 65 ± 5%. In vivo efficiencies of these nanoparticles on breast cancer generated in nude mice were assessed by MRI imaging. Anti-EGFR-modified nanoparticles provide higher resolution images than unmodified nanoparticles. Also, magnetosome with anti-EGFR produced darker image of the tumor tissue in T2-weighted MRI than HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles with anti-EGFR. In vivo MR imaging in a mouse breast cancer model shows effective intratumoral distribution of both nanoparticles in the tumor tissue. However, magnetosome demonstrated higher distribution than HSA-coated iron oxide nanoparticles according to fluorescence microscopy evaluation. According to the results of in vitro and in vivo study results, magnetosomes are promising for targeting and therapy applications of the breast cancer cells.

Microbe‐Mediated Extracellular and Intracellular Mineralization: Environmental, Industrial, and Biotechnological Applications

“…[ 315 ] Magnetic nanoparticles increase proton magnetic resonance absorption and consequently enhance the sensitivity and specificity of MRI. [ 316 ] Magnetosomes, which are magnetic nanoparticles of biological origin, provide better contrast for MRI than current magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle formulations possibly because of their larger size and high monodispersity. [ 317 ]…”

Preparation and anti‐tumor efficiency evaluation of bacterial magnetosome–anti‐4‐1BB antibody complex: Bacterial magnetosome as antibody carriers isolated from Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense

“…The distinctive characteristics of BMs suggested that they could be used as an effective vehicle, particularly as a potential magnetic carrier for drugs. BMs have been used as vehicles for antibodies, nucleic acids, and proteins in the laboratory . In our study, we developed a convenient way to conjugate antibodies to BMs.…”

Magnetically responsive, sorafenib loaded alginate microspheres for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

“…The co‐precipitation method was utilised to synthesise SPIONs [14]. Briefly, 60 ml 0.5% HCl solution was placed in a flask and nitrogen gas was purged through the solution for 15 min to remove any oxygen.…”