Towards understanding the triggering of the malignant cell death in high-efficiency magneto-mechanical anticancer therapy

Abstract

The paper discusses schemes for the implementation of magneto-mechanical anticancer therapy and the most probable scenarios of damaging mechanical effects on the membranes of malignant cells by targeted magnetic nanoparticles selectively bound to membrane mechanoreceptors employing aptamers. The conditions for selective triggering of the malignant cell apoptosis in a low-frequency non-heating alternating magnetic field, corresponding to the exceeding threshold value of the force acting on the membrane and its mechanoreceptors, are established using a nanoparticle dynamic simulation. The requirements for the functionality of magnetic nanoparticles and their suitability for biomedical applications are analysed. Attention is paid to the possibility of the formation of magnetite nanoparticle aggregates in an external magnetic field and their localization near tumor cell membranes. It is shown that the scenario involving the process of aggregation of magnetite nanoparticles provides a sufficient magneto-mechanical impact to achieve a therapeutic effect. A possible explanation for the experimentally established fact of successful application of magneto-mechanical therapy using magnetite nanoparticles is presented, in which complete suppression of the Ehrlich carcinoma in an alternating magnetic field as a response to a magnetome-chanical stimulus was demonstrated. This result confirmed the possibility of using the method for high efficiency treatment of malignant neoplasms. The paper is provided with an extensive review of key publications and the state of art in this area.

Gold/cobalt ferrite nanocomposite as a potential agent for photothermal therapy

“…For magnetic hyperthermia applications the magnetization behavior of CFONPs is favorite since moderate coercivity enhances the heating power. Similar nanoparticle aggregates that consist of gold nanoparticles with attached magnetite nanoparticles shown to be suitable for the aptamer-based targeting of cancer cells [38]. Gold is necessary for the aptamer attachment, while magnetic nanoparticles open access to magnetomechanical stimulation.…”