Magnetosome-incorporated silk fibroin-based magnetic hydrogel for efficient tumor magnetic hyperthermia

We developed a magnetosome-incorporated silk fibroin-based magnetic hydrogel (MSMH) for efficient tumor magnetic hyperthermia. The MSMH was fabricated by integrating biologically synthesized magnetosomes with glycidyl methacrylate-modified silk fibroin (SFGMA), enabling injectable deployment and rapid photo-crosslinking. The as-fabricated MSMH exhibits excellent magnetothermal conversion performance, achieving prominent temperature rises under alternating magnetic fields (AMF). MSMH can also serve as a T₂-weighted MRI contrast agent (r₂ = 173.57 mM^-1 s^-1 at 0.5 T), enabling imaging-guided therapy. In vitro and in vivo evaluations demonstrated 90 % tumor cell ablation under AMF and complete tumor elimination in MCF-7 xenografts, with negligible systemic toxicity. Biocompatibility and biodegradability (full degradation in 30 days) were confirmed through cytocompatibility assays, hemolysis tests, and histological analyses. This natural biomaterial-based platform integrates MRI guidance with magnetic hyperthermia therapy, offering a promising approach for precision oncology.