Synergistic combination of chemo‑phototherapy based on temozolomide/ICG‑loaded iron oxide nanoparticles for brain cancer treatment

Abstract

Chemo-photothermal therapy for cancer treatment has received increasing attention due to its selective therapeutic effects. In the present study, the anticancer effects of drug-loaded Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) by chemo-photothermal therapy on U-87 MG human glioblastoma cells was investigated. Anticancer drug-loaded Fe3O4 MNPs were prepared by loading temozolomide (TMZ) and indocyanine green (ICG), and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscope, as well as drug-loading capacity. Following treatment with near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, the administration of Fe3O4-TMZ-ICG MNPs resulted in the apoptosis of U-87 MG glioblastoma cells through the generation of reactive oxygen species. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that Fe3O4-TMZ-ICG MNPs with NIR laser irradiation lead to significantly enhanced anticancer effects on U-87 MG glioblastoma cells through the modulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis genes, including Bcl-2-associated X protein, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, caspase-3, Fas associated via death domain and caspase-8. These results suggest that Fe3O4-TMZ-ICG MNPs may be potential candidates when administered as chemo-phototherapy for the treatment of brain cancer.

Applications of indocyanine green in brain tumor surgery: review of clinical evidence and emerging technologies

“…67 ICG is an effective NIR-absorbing PTT agent with excellent light-to-heat conversion efficiency, and numerous groups have incorporated ICG into nanoparticle formulations to enable PTT. 68,69 In glioma research, Xu et al demonstrated that ICG encapsulated in silk fibroin nanoparticles exhibited a more stable photothermal effect compared with free ICG on NIR irradiation. 70 Jia et al developed a biomimetic ICG-loaded liposome (BLIPO-ICG) nanoparticle with embedded glioma cell membrane proteins and demonstrated strong NIR fluorescence 12 hours postinjection, proof-of-concept image-guided resection, and 94.2% tumor growth inhibition by photothermal effect.…”

Aspects of high-performance and bio-acceptable magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical application

“…MNPs conjugated/encapsulated with PS have been extensively used for PDT due to their unique properties, wide absorption of NIR light, and low toxicity. Recent studies revealed that MPNs exhibited magnified photothermal transformation efficiency in contrast to other photo absorbers [89] .…”

Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Systems of RNAi in Cancer Therapy

“…The IONPs have been approved by the FDA as use as a contrast agent and then spawned a new research field called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [ 161 , 162 ]. Fluorescent dyes, tumor targeting molecules and chemotherapeutic drugs can bind to IOPNs to achieve the integration of tumor targeting diagnosis and treatment [ 163 ]. Recently, Zhang et al [ 164 ] constructed a gene therapy approach by using IONPs for the postoperative treatment of glioblastoma patients.…”