Only on sick cells
Magnetic nanoparticles and fields destroyed leukemia cells, but did not harm healthy ones
Alexey Paevsky, "Indicator"
Researchers from the REC "Smart Materials and Biomedical Applications" together with colleagues from the Center for Immunology and Cellular Biotechnology of the I. Kant BFU conducted an interdisciplinary study dedicated to the development of a new method of treating leukemia using nanomaterials. Scientists have analyzed how magnetic nanoparticles can be controlled in vitro in such a way as to achieve a selective antitumor effect. Iron oxides and magnetic fields reduced the viability of cancer cells within a day, without affecting healthy ones in any way.
The researchers described the work done on the pages of the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Pshenichnikov et al., Control of oxidative stress in Jurkat cells as a model of leukemia treatment).
Leukemia (lymphoblastic leukemia) is the most common type of blood cancer in children and adolescents. This oncological disease affects the bone marrow and leads to the degradation of the human immune system. It accounts for 75-80% of acute leukemias, which also affect adults. Modern methods of treating leukemia are based on chemotherapy, but it is expensive and toxic not only for cancer cells, but also for the whole body. To overcome these limitations, new approaches are needed, for example, using nanomaterials. In their work, the researchers used magnetic nanoparticles and permanent magnetic fields to control them.
For the study, scientists used iron oxide nanoparticles, as they are a promising basis for the development of biomedical applications. Such materials are biocompatible and can be modified, for example, with fluorescent labels (for microscopy), or covered with various shells. The development of targeted anticancer drugs requires studying the effect of the material used not only on cancer, but also on healthy cells of the body. In this work, the first cell line – human blood mononuclear cells – served as a model of healthy cells. The second is human lymphoblastic leukemia cells, the Jurkat – tumor cell line. Permanent magnets were used as sources of the magnetic field, which were fixed in tablets, and the same tablets were placed on them, but with cells – this ensured a uniform effect of magnetic fields on cultures. Throughout the experiment, the authors observed the state of the cells.
The results of the study showed that the combined effect of nanoparticles and magnetic fields during the day reduced the viability of Jurkat cells. Iron oxides penetrate into cancer cells and cause the release of free radicals, disrupting the course of vital processes. Scientists were particularly interested in the fact that healthy cells were not suppressed by such "therapy".
"Thus, the use of nanoparticles based on iron oxides with optimized characteristics – shape, size, chemical composition – will allow in the future to achieve a therapeutic effect by generating free radicals in cancer cells. The difference in the susceptibility of healthy body cells and tumor cells to the effects of nanoparticles will provide a selective therapeutic effect and, therefore, minimizes side effects," says Larisa Litvinova, MD, Director of the Center for Immunology and Cellular Biotechnology of the I. Kant BFU.
"The interdisciplinary approach allowed us to demonstrate the interaction of these nanomaterials with cell cultures and, thus, reveal the potential applied significance of our developments. We also express our deep gratitude to our colleagues – the Center of Immunology and Cellular Biotechnologies of the BFU under the leadership of Larisa Litvinova – for an interesting and productive scientific project," commented Ekaterina Levada, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Biomedical Applications of the Scientific and Educational Center "Smart Materials and Biomedical Applications".
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