Burning out of the tumor
A simple way to synthesize nanoparticles that destroy cancer cells has been created
Anna Kerman, XX2 century
Scientists of the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University together with researchers from NUST MISIS have developed a new affordable method for the synthesis of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles of a certain size. Such particles can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases.
With a decrease in the particle size of matter to hundreds or even tens of nanometers, the proportion of surface atoms with high energy increases greatly in them. The increased share of surface energy changes the chemical and physical properties of the material and opens up new directions for the application of nanotechnology, which cannot but attract scientists.
Magnetic nanoparticles have great potential from the point of view of medicine and biology. Nanoparticles of a certain size can selectively accumulate in the vessels of tumor tissues. The pores of the vessels feeding the tumor are much larger than the pores of healthy vessels, so nanoparticles can "fall through" in them and accumulate directly in the tumor. With the help of magnetic resonance imaging, it is possible to see clusters of nanoparticles and assess the size and other characteristics of cancerous tumors.
Equally important is the possibility of oncotherapy using magnetic nanoclusters. In an alternating high-frequency magnetic field, nanomagnets absorb its energy, which is then converted into heat during relaxation. As a result, local heating occurs (up to 42-47 C), absolutely destructive for cancer cells. Healthy cells are not overheated at the same time simply because of the lack of "heating centers". This method of therapy is called "hyperthermia using a high-frequency magnetic field."
According to the authors of the work, the assembly of individual nanoparticles into clusters gives them unique physical and chemical properties. On the one hand, such nanoclusters can be considered as individual nanoobjects, and on the other hand, their properties are determined by the contribution of each individual nanoparticle.
The staff of the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University and the laboratory "Biomedical Materials" of NUST MISIS have developed a completely new method for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles based on the use of various organic acids. Scientists have conducted studies of the structure, phase composition and magnetic properties of the unique samples obtained.
A relatively simple method for the synthesis of nanoparticles consists in the thermal decomposition of iron (III) ion complexes with organic acids. By varying the nature of the organic acid, the concentrations of the initial solutions and the temperature, researchers obtain nanoclusters of the required shape and size.
A drawing from an article in Langmuir – VM.
As explained by one of the authors of the work, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Chemical Faculty of Moscow State University Elena Beloglazkina, "cyclocarboxylic acids belong to surfactants that are specifically adsorbed (collected) on the faces of growing crystals, as a result of which, using one or another acid, you can get a cluster of a certain – desired – shape and size."
The synthesized nanoclusters showed high values of T2-relaxivity, which indicates their potential effectiveness when used in magnetic resonance imaging as contrast agents.
Alexey Nikitin, an engineer at the Biomedical Nanomaterials laboratory at NUST MISIS, adds: "The synthesized nanoclusters had a high magnetic saturation value. The higher the magnetic saturation of the substance, the smaller the applied magnetic field must be to magnetize the particles."
The results of the scientists' research are published in the journal Langmuir (Nikitin et al., Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoclusters by Thermal Decomposition).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru