The Influence of Magnetic Composite Capsule Structure and Size on Their Trapping Efficiency in the Flow

Abstract

A promising approach to targeted drug delivery is the remote control of magnetically sensitive objects using an external magnetic field source. This method can assist in the accumulation of magnetic carriers in the affected area for local drug delivery, thus providing magnetic nanoparticles for MRI contrast and magnetic hyperthermia, as well as the magnetic separation of objects of interest from the bloodstream and liquid biopsy samples. The possibility of magnetic objects’ capture in the flow is determined by the ratio of the magnetic field strength and the force of viscous resistance. Thus, the capturing ability is limited by the objects’ magnetic properties, size, and flow rate. Despite the importance of a thorough investigation of this process to prove the concept of magnetically controlled drug delivery, it has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we studied the efficiency of polyelectrolyte capsules’ capture by the external magnetic field source depending on their size, the magnetic nanoparticle payload, and the suspension’s flow rate. Additionally, we estimated the possibility of magnetically trapping cells containing magnetic capsules in flow and evaluated cells’ membrane integrity after that. These results are required to prove the possibility of the magnetically controlled delivery of the encapsulated medicine to the affected area with its subsequent retention, as well as the capability to capture magnetically labeled cells in flow.

Correction: Verkhovskii et al. The Influence of Magnetic Composite Capsule Structure and Size on Their Trapping Efficiency in the Flow. Molecules 2022, 27, 6073

“…In the original publication [ 1 ], there was a typo in the original publication. The wrong measurement units were used .…”

Current Principles, Challenges, and New Metrics in pH-Responsive Drug Delivery Systems for Systemic Cancer Therapy

“…In this case, drug carriers are supposed to circulate in the blood as long as possible to increase the probability of their accumulation in pathological sites via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Active targeting employs a modification of carriers with specific ligands or different nanostructures possessing certain physical properties, which ensure a specific recognition and bind of DDS with pathological cells [ 27 , 28 ], promotion of their uptake [ 29 ], or manipulation over their distribution and drug release by external stimuli such as a magnetic field [ 30 , 31 ]. Usually, researchers employ a hybrid approach when EPR-mediated accumulation promotes the delivery of actively targeted carriers into poorly accessible sites of interest.…”

“…However, this method is applicable only to the treatment of surgically accessible tumors and not to systemic therapy of metastatic disease, which is of paramount importance for cancer therapy. Other studies suggest the use of non-invasive methods for the carriers’ activation and the induction of therapeutic agents’ release by exposure to external physical fields, including magnetic ones, ultrasound, and infrared radiation [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Moreover, a promising strategy is the usage of the tumor microenvironment’s features, including reduced pH of the tumor milieu (pH in the range from 6.3 to 7), if compared with the pH in normal tissues (7.35–7.45).…”