An in-vivo pilot study into the effects of FDG-mNP in cancer in mice.

PURPOSE: Previously, fluorodeoxy glucose conjugated magnetite nanoparticles (FDG-mNPs) injected into cancer cells in conjunction with the application of magnetic hyperthermia have shown promise in new FDG-mNPs applications. The aim of this study was to determine potential toxic or unwanted effects involving both tumour cells and normal tissue in other organs when FDG-mNPs are administered intravenously or intratumourally in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FDG-mNPs were synthesized. A group of six prostate-tumour bearing mice were injected with 23.42 mg/ml FDG-mNPs (intravenous injection, n = 3; intratumoural injection into the prostate tumour, n = 3). Mice were euthanized and histological sampling of tissue was conducted for the prostate tumour, as well as for lungs, lymph nodes, liver, kidneys, spleen, and brain, at 1 hour (n = 2) and 7 days (n = 4) post-injection. A second group of two normal (non-cancerous) mice received the same injection intravenously into the tail vein and were euthanised at 3 and 6 months post-injection, respectively, to investigate if FDG-mNPs remained in organs at those time points. RESULTS: In prostate-tumour bearing mice, FDG-mNPs concentrated in the prostate tumour, while relatively small amounts were found in the organs of other tissues, particularly the spleen and the liver; FDG-mNP concentrations decreased over time in all tissues. In normal mice, no detrimental effects were found in either mouse at 3 or 6 months. CONCLUSION: Intravenous or intratumoural FDG-mNPs can be safely administered for effective cancer cell destruction. Further research on the clinical utility of FDG-mNPs will be conducted by applying hyperthermia in conjunction with FDG-mNPs in mice.

A Pilot Study Into the Use of FDG-mNP as an Alternative Approach in Neuroblastoma Cell Hyperthermia.

Herein, we present a pilot study concerning the use of fluorodeoxy glucose conjugated magnetite nanoparticles (FDG-mNP) as a potential agent in magnetic nanoparticle mediated neuroblastoma cancer cell hyperthermia. This approach makes use of the 'Warburg effect', utilizing the fact that cancer cells have a higher metabolic rate than normal cells. FDG-mNP were synthesized, then applied to the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cancer cell line and exposed to an ac magnetic field. 3D Calorimetry was performed on the FDG-mNP compound. Simulations were performed using SEMCAD X software using Thelonious, (an anatomically correct male child model) in order to understand more about the end requirements with respect to cancer cell destruction. We investigated FDG-mNP mediated neuroblastoma cytotoxicity in conjunction with ac magnetic field exposure. Results are presented for 3D FDG-mNP SAR mnp (10.86 ± 0.99 W/g of particles) using a therapeutic dose of 0.83 mg/ mL. Human model simulations suggest that 43 W/kg SAR Theo would be required to obtain 42 °C within the centre of a liver tumor (Tumor size, bounding box x = 64, y = 61, z = 65 [mm]), and that the temperature distribution is inhomogeneous within the tumor. Our study suggests that this approach could potentially be used to increase the temperature within cells that would result in cancer cell death due to hyperthermia. Further development of this research will also involve using whole tumors removed from living organisms in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography.