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Magnetic-, Acoustic-, and Optical-Triple-Responsive Microbubbles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and Pothotothermal Combination Cancer Therapy
Published on: May 22, 2020
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Multifunctional microspherical magnetic and pH responsive carriers for combination anticancer therapy engineered by
Shaheer Maher1, Abel Santos, Tushar Kumeria
1School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Engineering North Building, 5005, Adelaide, Australia. dusan.losic@adelaide.edu.au abel.santos@adelaide.edu.au.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|April 9, 2020
Summary
We developed pH-sensitive magnetic microspheres for targeted colorectal cancer therapy. These microspheres deliver synergistic chemotherapy drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and curcumin (CUR), to the colon and rectum, showing promising biocompatibility and efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy benefits from targeted drug delivery systems that respond to specific physiological conditions.
- Current treatments face challenges in drug localization and systemic side effects.
- pH-responsive platforms offer a strategy to deliver therapeutics to specific gastrointestinal tract sites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer pH-sensitive magnetic microspheres for targeted delivery of synergistic chemotherapeutics (5-fluorouracil and curcumin) for colorectal cancer treatment.
- To develop a microfluidic approach for precise control over microsphere fabrication and drug loading.
- To evaluate the pH-responsive drug release, biocompatibility, and in vitro efficacy of the developed system.
Main Methods:
- Utilized droplet-based microfluidics to encapsulate drug-loaded porous silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) and magnetic bacterial iron oxide nanowires (BacNWs) into hypromellose acetate succinate polymeric microspheres.
- Engineered microspheres for pH-dependent solubility, remaining insoluble in the stomach (pH 1.2) and dissolving in the colon/rectum (basic pH).
- Investigated drug loading, particle size distribution, in vitro drug release kinetics, biocompatibility using RAW 264.7 macrophages, and synergistic anti-cancer effects on SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cells.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated pH-sensitive magnetic microspheres with controlled size distribution and precise size control.
- Demonstrated pH-responsive drug release, confirming the platform's ability to target the colon and rectum.
- Confirmed the safety and biocompatibility of drug-free microspheres up to 1000 μg mL⁻¹.
- Observed synergistic anti-cancer activity of 5-fluorouracil and curcumin loaded microspheres against SW480 colon cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic engineering provides a facile method for producing pH-sensitive magnetic microspheres for targeted colorectal cancer therapy.
- The developed microspheres exhibit controlled drug release, good biocompatibility, and potential for synergistic therapeutic effects.
- This platform holds promise for improving the efficacy and reducing side effects of colorectal cancer treatment through targeted drug delivery.
