Rapid magnetic heating treatment by highly charged maghemite nanoparticles on Wistar rats exocranial glioma tumors at microliter volume

Biomicrofuidics - 2010-06-21Rabias I, Tsitrouli D, Karakosta E, Kehagias T, Diamantopoulos G, Fardis M, Stamopoulos D, Maris TG, Falaras P, Zouridakis N, Diamantis N, Panayotou G, Verganelakis DA, Drossopoulou GI, Tsilibary EC, Papavassiliou G10.1063/1.3449089
One of the most significant challenges implementing colloidal magnetic nanoparticles in medicine is the efficient heating of microliter quantities by applying a low frequency alternating magnetic field. The ultimate goal is to accomplish nonsurgically the treatment of millimeter size tumors. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis, characterization, and the in vitro as well as in vivo efficiency of a dextran coated maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) ferrofluid with an exceptional response to magnetic heating. The difference to previous synthetic attempts is the high charge of the dextran coating, which according to our study maintains the colloidal stability and good dispersion of the ferrofluid during the magnetic heating stage. Specifically, in vitro 2μl of the ferrofluid gives an outstanding temperature rise of 33°C within 10 min, while in vivo treatment, by infusing 150μl of the ferrofluid in animal model (rat) glioma tumors, causes an impressive cancer tissue dissolution.