Magnetic Nanoparticle Facilitated Drug Delivery for Cancer Therapy with Targeted and Image‐Guided Approaches

Abstract

With rapid advances in nanomedicine, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as a promising theranostic tool in biomedical applications, including diagnostic imaging, drug delivery and novel therapeutics. Significant preclinical and clinical research has explored their functionalization, targeted delivery, controllable drug release and image-guided capabilities. To further develop MNPs for theranostic applications and clinical translation in the future, we attempt to provide an overview of the recent advances in the development and application of MNPs for drug delivery, specifically focusing on the topics concerning the importance of biomarker targeting for personalized therapy and the unique magnetic and contrast-enhancing properties of theranostic MNPs that enable image-guided delivery. The common strategies and considerations to produce theranostic MNPs and incorporate payload drugs into MNP carriers are described. The notable examples are presented to demonstrate the advantages of MNPs in specific targeting and delivering under image guidance. Furthermore, current understanding of delivery mechanisms and challenges to achieve efficient therapeutic efficacy or diagnostic capability using MNP-based nanomedicine are discussed.

Magnetic Nanoparticles for Precision Oncology: Theranostic Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Image-Guided and Targeted Cancer Therapy

“…Results from a Phase II/III clinical trial in over 2000 patients for MRI detection of lymph future science group MNPs for precision oncology: theranostic magnetic IONPs for image-guided & targeted cancer therapy Review node metastasis showed that it is safe to administer 2.9 mg Fe/kg dose of magnetic SPIONs (30 nm size) in humans as SPIONs were taken up by the macrophages in the spleen, liver and lymph nodes [77,78]. In general, a clinical dose of IONPs in humans (0.56-3 mg Fe/kg) will be much less than the normal blood iron concentration (≈33 mg Fe/kg body weight) and total body iron (≈3500 mg) [14]. Thus, it is likely that magnetic IONP-based drug carriers have less safety concern than other nanomaterials for the translational development of new theranostic agents for image-guided and targeted cancer therapeutic approaches.…”

“…Finally, for clinical translation, it is important to use nanoparticles with strong and long-lasting imaging signals that can be detected by a clinical available imaging modality. At present, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) or superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) is one of the few nanoparticle platforms that fit the above criteria for the development of theranostic agents for clinical applications [14][15][16]. As increasing need of image-guided cancer therapy for designing personalized therapeutic protocols for cancer patients, advances in the translational development of IONPs should have significant impact on the clinical management and prognosis of cancer patients.…”

“…A marked feature of future science group MNPs for precision oncology: theranostic magnetic IONPs for image-guided & targeted cancer therapy Review magnetic IONPs is the ability of the production of controlled and uniform core size nanoparticles with a size-dependent magnetization. Ultrafine IONPs at a sub-5-nm core size have been developed for improved delivery efficiency and dual MRI contrast [14,18]. Such small-size IONPs can be efficiently delivered into tumors through the enhanced permeability and retention effect mediated by the leaking tumor vasculatures [22,23].…”

Magnetic Nanocarriers Enhance Drug Delivery Selectively to Human Leukemic Cells

“…Hence, without changing the drug itself, there is a great incentive to develop alternative, rapid and more effective chemotherapeutic approaches to direct the drug to its target [3]. Consequently, different Dox formulations and modifications that allow it to evade membrane transporters have been the subject of many new formulations, many of them are nanobased [4][5][6][7][8]. Particularly, special attention have been devoted to the significant role of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) in enhancing intracellular drug uptake/anticancer drug accumulation inducing apoptotic cell death, and offering means to inhibit the cellular drug resistance, thus providing promising imaging/targeting potentials in leukemia therapy [9][10][11][12].…”

Double-receptor-targeting multifunctional iron oxide nanoparticles drug delivery system for the treatment and imaging of prostate cancer

“…Upon interaction with the cancer-specific surface protein, the peptide-guided nanocarrier is internalized by the cancer cells. [10][11][12] However, a major…”