Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticles Embedded in Pectin–Doxorubicin Composites as pH-Responsive Nanoplatforms for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy by T₁-Weighted Magnetic Imaging

Abstract

Multifunctional nanomaterials with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities offer promising customized nanomedicines for cancers. However, achieving good execution of these functions in vivo employing a single nanoframework remains challenging, and only a few of these magnetic nanocarriers have been validated for clinical use. In this study, based on biocompatibility and remarkable multifunctionalities, we describe a novel approach to synthesize small Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles conjugated with natural polysaccharide pectin and assembled into a pH-responsive T 1weighted magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, Fe 3 O 4 @PD, for better chemotherapeutic efficacy. In vitro studies revealed that the conjugated doxorubicin (DOX) was quickly released in the tumor microenvironment by cleavage of the acid-sensitive acylhydrazone bond at a release rate of 89.72% and exerted a considerable inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells. In vivoT 1weighted images of mice showed that Fe 3 O 4 @PD displayed darkening to brightening contrast enhancement at tumor sites, and the relative signal-to-noise ratio of the tumor site reached its maximum (increased to about 2.27-fold) for distinguishing the normal and tumor tissues. Thus, this Fe 3 O 4 @PD-based system has the potential to be a multifunctional nanodrug delivery system, and as a smart theragnostic platform, it has broad application prospects in clinical and biological works, such as cell-based diagnostics and in vivo medication monitoring.

A Review of Imaging Methods and Recent Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

“…Surveys such as that conducted by Yao-Jiang Ye et al [152] have shown that hybrid NPs co-loaded with copper sulfide (CuS) NPs and glucose oxidase (GOD) (CuS@GOD NPs) have in vivo feasibility for use in multiparametric MRI, including intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and R 2 * mapping for cancer detection and treatment response. It has been demonstrated that [153] Fe 3 O 4 @PD NPs result in T 1 MRI darkening and brightening contrast enhancement at tumor sites, and the relative signal-to-noise ratio of the tumor can be used for distinguishing normal and tumor tissues.…”

“…Tao et al [153] Small Fe 3 O 4 NPs MRI ✓ ✓ Fe 3 O 4 @PD-based system has the potential to be a multifunctional nanodrug delivery system and a smart theragnostic platform for cancer detection and treatment.…”

A Review of Imaging Methods and Recent Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

“…Surveys such as that conducted by Yao-Jiang Ye et al [150] have shown that, the hybrid NPs co-loading with copper sulfide (CuS) NPs and glucose oxidase (GOD) (CuS@GOD NPs) have in vivo feasibility of using for multiparametric MRI including intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and R2* mapping for cancer detection and treatment response. It has been demonstrated that [151] Fe3O4@PD NPs results T1 MRI darkening to brightening contrast enhancement at tumor sites, and the relative signal-to-noise ratio of the tumor for distinguishing the normal and tumor tissues.…”

“…Tao et al [151] small Fe3O4 NPs MRI ✓ ✓ Fe3O4@PD-based system has the potential to be a multifunctional nanodrug delivery system, and as a smart theragnostic platform for cancer detection and treatment.…”