Triggering the apoptosis of targeted human renal cancer cells by the vibration of anisotropic magnetic particles attached to the cell membrane

Abstract

Cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapy, and the side effects encountered seriously limit the effectiveness of treatments. For these reasons, the search for alternative therapies that target cancer cells without affecting healthy tissues is currently one of the most active areas of research on cancer. The present study focuses on a recently proposed approach for cancer cell destruction based on the targeted triggering of cancer cell spontaneous death through the mechanical vibration of anisotropic magnetic micro/nanoparticles attached to the cell membranes at low frequencies (∼20 Hz) and in weak magnetic fields (∼30 mT). The study was conducted in vitro, on human renal cancer cells with superparamagnetic-like particles. Three types of such particles made of NiFe or magnetite were prepared and characterized (either synthetic antiferromagnetic, vortex or polycrystalline with random grain anisotropy). The triggering of the apoptosis of these cancer cells was demonstrated with NiFe vortex particles and statistically characterized by flow-cytometry studies. The death pathway via apoptosis and not necrosis was identified by the clear observation of caspase activation.

Magnetically actuated tissue engineered scaffold: insights into mechanism of physical stimulation

“…Recently, novel approaches were developed to destroy cancer cells producing low frequency mechanical vibration effects on the cancer cell membrane or cytosol. In these studies, anisotropic magnetic particles were used to exert forces or torques inducing cell apoptosis or necrosis 47-53 . Mechanical vibration has been shown to control cell adhesion 54, 55 and proliferation 56-59 .…”

Magnetic particles with perpendicular anisotropy for mechanical cancer cell destruction

“…One proposed approach is to use magnetic particles that are mechanically actuated by an applied magnetic field 1, 2, 5–8 . Instead of the magnetic field causing the particle to heat up, as in the more common magnetic hyperthermia 9 , the field creates a torque on the magnetization which, through the magnetic anisotropy becomes a torque on the physical particle.…”

“…Instead of the magnetic field causing the particle to heat up, as in the more common magnetic hyperthermia 9 , the field creates a torque on the magnetization which, through the magnetic anisotropy becomes a torque on the physical particle. This torque can be exploited in various ways – to trigger receptors associated with cell death 10 , open ion channels 5 or deliver direct physical damage to cells 1, 11, 12 – and has been shown to cause cell death both in - vitro 1, 5 and in - vivo 3, 10 .…”

“…They are compared to Py vortex particles, a commonly used type of particle for mechanical cell destruction 1, 3, 5, 16 . Understanding the importance of the symmetry and magnitude of the magnetic anisotropy of the particle in applying a mechanical torque offers a route to highly efficient mechanical cell disruption.…”

Surface modification and cellular uptake evaluation of Au-coated Ni 80 Fe 20 nanodiscs for biomedical applications

“…Moreover, the hysteresis at high fields ensures a more efficient heat generation due to magnetic losses when the NDs are submitted to a radiofrequency field overcoming vortex expulsion field. For these reasons, these peculiar properties make the nanoparticles with magnetic vortex behaviour a promising candidate for diverse biomedical applications, especially in cancer cell detection and destruction by different means, including hyperthermia [6,25,26].…”