Magneto-electric Nanoparticles to Enable Field-controlled High-Specificity Drug Delivery to Eradicate Ovarian Cancer Cells

Abstract

The nanotechnology capable of high-specificity targeted delivery of anti-neoplastic drugs would be a significant breakthrough in Cancer in general and Ovarian Cancer in particular. We addressed this challenge through a new physical concept that exploited (i) the difference in the membrane electric properties between the tumor and healthy cells and (ii) the capability of magneto-electric nanoparticles (MENs) to serve as nanosized converters of remote magnetic field energy into the MENs' intrinsic electric field energy. This capability allows to remotely control the membrane electric fields and consequently trigger high-specificity drug uptake through creation of localized nano-electroporation sites. In in-vitro studies on human ovarian carcinoma cell (SKOV-3) and healthy cell (HOMEC) lines, we applied a 30-Oe d.c. field to trigger high-specificity uptake of paclitaxel loaded on 30-nm CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 MENs. The drug penetrated through the membrane and completely eradicated the tumor within 24 hours without affecting the normal cells.

Status and Perspectives of Multiferroic Magnetoelectric Composite Materials and Applications

“…The potential use of ME nanoparticles (MENs) as carriers for ondemand drug release and to artificially stimulate the neural activity deep in the brain has also been suggested [109,110].…”

“…Although the survival rates have been improved by intraperitoneal (IP) delivery through a surgically implanted catheter, toxicity and catheter complications have precluded widespread adoption of this invasive means of delivery. Guduru et al [109] addressed this challenge by exploiting the dependence of the membrane's porosity on the electric field, i.e. electroporation that can be utilized to trigger drug delivery into the cells.…”

“…Illustration of possible mechanisms of stimulation of ion channels: a chain of actions triggered by the applied magnetic field pulses, external and internal stimulation by uptaken nanoparticles [108]. (c) MENs as field-controlled nano-electroporation sites to let the drug through the cancer cell membranes [109]. (d) Illustration of the deep brain stimulation approach [110].…”

Mapping the Brain’s electric fields with Magnetoelectric nanoparticles

“…For example, considering the value for α on the order of 0.1 G cm V − 1 , a typical local electric field due to an action potential at the neuronal membrane on the order of 1 V/cm would induce a magnetization change of 1 emu/cc (Rodzinski et al, 2016;Guduru et al, 2013;McFadden, 2002;Stimphil & et al, 2017).. Assuming the MEN's saturation magnetization is on the order of 10 emu/cc, the relative change in the magnetization on the order of 10% would be quite significant for a magnetic imaging technique to provide an adequate contrast.…”

MENs Doped Adhesive and Influence on Fracture Toughness

“…The drug then can be selectively released by applying an external magnetic field [7]. More of Khizroev's work in MENs has also continued to use MENs as a non-invasive stimulus for patients with Parkinson's disease and specific ovarian cancer cell target for drug delivery [8,9]. Other applications outside of biomedicine include the use of BiFeO3 MENs for photo catalysis and magnetic thin films using Ca3CoMnO6 MENs [10,11].…”