Background:
Theranostic oncology combines therapy and diagnosis and is a new field of medicine that
specifically targets the disease by using targeted molecules to destroy the cancerous cells without damaging the
surrounding healthy tissues.
Objective:
We aimed to develop a tool that exploits enzymatic TQ release from glucuronide (G) for the imaging
and treatment of lung cancer. We added magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) to enable magnetic hyperthermia and
MRI, as well as 131I to enable SPECT imaging and radionuclide therapy.
Methods:
A glucuronide derivative of thymoquinone (TQG) was enzymatically synthesized and conjugated
with the synthesized MNP and then radioiodinated with 131I. New Zealand white rabbits were used in SPECT
and MRI studies while tumor modeling studies were performed 6–7-week-old nude mice utilized with
bioluminescence imaging.
Results:
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra
confirmed expected structures of TQG. The dimensions of nanoparticles were below 10 nm and they had rather
polyhedral shapes. Nanoparticles were radioiodinated with 131I with over 95% yield. In imaging studies, in
xenograft models, tumor volume was significantly reduced in TQGMNP-treated mice but not in non-treated
mice. Among mice treated intravenously with TQGMNP, xenograft tumor models disappeared after 10 and 15
days, respectively.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that TQGMNP in solid, semi-solid and liquid formulations can be developed
using different radiolabeling nuclides for applications in multimodality imaging (SPECT and MRI). By altering
the characteristics of radionuclides, TQGMNP may ultimately be used not only for diagnosis but also treatment
of various cancers as an in vitro diagnostic kit for the diagnosis of beta glucuronidase-rich cancers.
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