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Published on: May 22, 2020
Ferrimagnetic mPEG-b-PHEP copolymer micelles loaded with iron oxide nanocubes and emodin for enhanced magnetic
Yonghong Song1, Dongdong Li2, Yang Lu1
1Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
Abstract:
As a non-invasive therapeutic method without penetration-depth limitation, magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) under alternating magnetic field (AMF) is a clinically promising thermal therapy. However, the poor heating conversion efficiency and lack of stimulus-response obstruct the clinical application of magnetofluid-mediated MHT. Here, we develop a ferrimagnetic polyethylene glycol-poly(2-hexoxy-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane) (mPEG-b-PHEP) copolymer micelle loaded with hydrophobic iron oxide nanocubes and emodin (denoted as EMM). Besides an enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) contrast ability (r 2 = 271 mM-1 s-1) due to the high magnetization, the specific absorption rate (2518 W/g at 35 kA/m) and intrinsic loss power (6.5 nHm2/kg) of EMM are dozens of times higher than the clinically available iron oxide nanoagents (Feridex and Resovist), indicating the high heating conversion efficiency. Furthermore, this composite micelle with a flowable core exhibits a rapid response to magnetic hyperthermia, leading to an AMF-activated supersensitive drug release. With the high magnetic response, thermal sensitivity and magnetic targeting, this supersensitive ferrimagnetic nanocomposite realizes an above 70% tumor cell killing effect at an extremely low dosage (10 μg Fe/mL), and the tumors on mice are completely eliminated after the combined MHT-chemotherapy.
