Co-encapsulation of magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and doxorubicin into biodegradable PLGA nanocarriers for intratumoral drug delivery

Yanhui Jia¹, Mei Yuan¹, Huidong Yuan¹, Xinglu Huang², Xiang Sui¹, Xuemei Cui¹, Fangqiong Tang², Jiang Peng¹, Jiying Chen¹, Shibi Lu¹, Wenjing Xu¹, Li Zhang¹, Quanyi Guo^1
1Institute of Orthopedics, General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China; ²Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Application of Nanomaterials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Abstract: In this study, the authors constructed a novel PLGA [poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)]-based polymeric nanocarrier co-encapsulated with doxorubicin (DOX) and magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (MNPs) using a single emulsion evaporation method. The DOX-MNPs showed high entrapment efficiency, and they supported a sustained and steady release of DOX. Moreover, the drug release was pH sensitive, with a faster release rate in an acidic environment than in a neutral environment. In vitro, the DOX-MNPs were easily internalized into murine Lewis lung carcinoma cells and they induced apoptosis. In vivo, the DOX-MNPs showed higher antitumor activity than free DOX solution. Furthermore, the antitumor activity of the DOX-MNPs was higher with than without an external magnetic field; they were also associated with smaller tumor volume and a lower metastases incidence rate. This work may provide a new modality for developing an effective drug delivery system.

Keywords: antitumor activity, external magnetic field, intratumoral injection, apoptosis, Lewis lung carcinoma

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