Hyperthermia Nanofiber Platform Synergized by Sustained Release of Paclitaxel to Improve Antitumor Efficiency

Abstract

Effective cancer therapy can be achieved by designing a smart nanofiber system with the combination of chemotherapy and hyperthermia. This study demonstrates the in vivo antitumor effect of a nanofiber mesh that can deliver heat and antitumor drug in a controlled manner. The mesh is composed of biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) with paclitaxel (PTX) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The PCL mesh releases PTX slowly for at least 6 weeks when tested in vitro. The prolonged therapeutic effect is observed in vivo as a continuous release of medication from the mesh over an extended period of time compared with direct injection of PTX into the tumor site. In addition, the synergistic anticancer effect is achieved upon excitation of the mesh with an alternating magnetic field because the MNPs within the nanofiber generate localized heat which causes heat‐induced cell killing as well as enhanced chemotherapeutic effect of PTX. Based on these results, the smart nanofiber system may be very promising for cancer therapeutics in the future and may provide knowledge for new development of localized drug delivery.

Functional Electrospun Fibers for Local Therapy of Cancer

“…In another case, a smart electrospun nanofiber mesh was prepared with paclitaxel (PTX), MNPs and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) to improve antitumor efficiency ( Fig. 7a) [86]. Without a magnetic field, PTX was released slowly for at least 6 weeks, achieving a prolonged therapeutic effect compared with direct injection of PTX.…”

A Smart Hyperthermia Nanofiber-Platform-Enabled Sustained Release of Doxorubicin and 17AAG for Synergistic Cancer Therapy

“…Electrospinning is a straightforward and versatile technique used to fabricate fibers with nanoscale diameters from a variety of polymeric materials [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. We have previously reported PCL-based nanofiber meshes incorporating various types of therapeutic agents such as inactivated viruses [ 34 ], immune-modulating agents [ 35 ], and chemotherapeutic drugs [ 10 , 36 ] for cancer therapy. In this study, PCL nanofibers containing MNPs, DOX, and 17AAG were fabricated through blend electrospinning.…”

“…The PCL nanofiber mesh was fabricated according to our previously published procedure [ 10 ]. Briefly, PCL was dissolved in HFIP at a concentration of 20% ( w / v ) to prepare an electrospinning solution.…”

“…Thermal therapy, also known as hyperthermia, is a mode of cancer treatment that can damage and kill cancer cells, which is employed based on evidence that indicate that cancer cells are more sensitive than normal cells to high temperatures (43–45 °C) [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Hyperthermia can also enhance the effects of certain anticancer drugs such as salinomycin [ 7 , 8 ], curcumin [ 9 ], paclitaxel (PTX) [ 10 , 11 ] and doxorubicin (DOX) [ 12 , 13 , 14 ], increasing the susceptibility of some cancer cells to them.…”

Nanomagnetic Actuation of Hybrid Stents for Hyperthermia Treatment of Hollow Organ Tumors

“…Biodegradable magnetic scaffolds made of polymers such as chitosan-glycerophosphate, poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), or poly-caprolactone (PCL) have been widely investigated in tissue engineering for nerve regeneration [21], improvement of wound healing after surgical resection of a malignant skin tumor [22], and design of cardiac tissue [23]. Fibrous magnetic scaffolds are particularly suitable for designing smart hyperthermia nanofiber platforms to combine drug and heat release [24][25][26][27]. In the case of bone tissue engineering, magnetic scaffolds of biodegradable polymers (e.g., PCL, gelatin) and ceramics (e.g., hydroxyapatite, akermanite) have been investigated to avoid recurrence of bone tumors after surgery by local hyperthermia treatment [28][29][30].…”