[Synergetic killing effects of external magnetic fields combined with porphyrin-dextran magnetic nanoparticles on the human bladder cancer cells].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the synergetic killing effects of external magnetic fields combined with the photodynamic action of porphyrin-dextran iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (PDMN) on human bladder cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: The PDMN were produced by using the chemical co-precipitation and redox process and the physicochemical properties were characterized. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry were used to determine the effects of photodynamic therapy of PDMN combined with external pulsed electromagnetic fields (5 mT) on killing human bladder cancer BIU-87 cells respectively. RESULTS: The diameters of PDMN were 10-15 nm and the saturation magnetization was 0.20 emu/g. Effective diameter of PDMN was 94.8 nm. PDMN could remarkably inhibit the proliferation and induce the obvious apoptosis of BIU-87 cells, and the rates of growth inhibition and apoptosis were (17.61±2.73)% and (24.53±5.74)% respectively. Moreover, external pulsed electromagnetic fields (5 mT) could also suppress the proliferation and induce apoptosis of BIU-87 cells. Furthermore, the photodynamic action of PDMN combined with external magnetic fields significantly inhibited the proliferation and promote apoptosis of BIU-87 cells, and the rates of growth inhibition and apoptosis was (28.11±4.25)% and (24.53±5.74)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The chemical modified photodynamic action of PDMN could effectively inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of BIU-87 cells. Moreover, these effects on BIU-87 cells could be strengthened by the combination with external magnetic fields.