Targeted Photothermal Therapy of Melanoma in C57BL/6 Mice using FeO@Au Core-shell Nanoparticles and Near-infrared Laser.

BACKGROUND

Gold nanoshells can be tuned to absorb a particular wavelength of light. As a result, these tunable nanoparticles (NPs) can efficiently absorb light and convert it to heat. This phenomenon can be used for cancer treatment known as photothermal therapy. In this study, we synthesized FeO@Au core-shell NPs, magnetically targeted them towards tumor, and used them for photothermal therapy of cancer.

OBJECTIVE

The main purpose of this research was to synthesize FeO@Au core-shell NPs, magnetically target them towards tumor, and use them for photothermal therapy of cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this experimental study, twenty mice received 2 × 10 B16-F10 melanoma cells subcutaneously. After tumors volume reached 100 mm, the mice were divided into five groups including a control group, NPs group, laser irradiation group, NPs + laser group and NPs + magnet + laser group. NPs were injected intravenously. After 6 hours, the tumor region was irradiated by laser (808 nm, 2.5 W/cm, 6 minutes). The tumor volumes were measured every other day.

RESULTS

The effective diameter of FeO@Au NPs was approximately 37.8 nm. The average tumor volume in control group, NPs group, laser irradiation group, NPs + laser irradiation group and NPs + magnet + laser irradiation group increased to 47.3, 45.3, 32.8, 19.9 and 7.7 times, respectively in 2 weeks. No obvious change in the average body weight for different groups occurred.

CONCLUSION

Results demonstrated that magnetically targeted nano-photothermal therapy of cancer described in this paper holds great promise for the selective destruction of tumors.