Self-regulating novel iron oxide nanoparticle-based magnetic hyperthermia in swine: biocompatibility, biodistribution, and safety assessments.

Studies demonstrating the successful and safe application of magnetic hyperthermia in large animals are scarce. A therapeutic approach for advanced cancer comprising multicore encapsulated iron oxide (IO) Sarah Nanoparticles (SaNPs), that uniquely self-regulate their temperature, was developed thus overcoming the safety challenges of hyperthermia. SaNPs are intravenously injected and accumulate in tumor tissue, leading to selective heating upon exposure to an external alternating magnetic field (AMF).

Novel Nanoparticle-Based Cancer Treatment, Effectively Inhibits Lung Metastases and Improves Survival in a Murine Breast Cancer Model.

Sarah Nanoparticles (SaNPs) are unique multicore iron oxide-based nanoparticles, developed for the treatment of advanced cancer, following standard care, through the selective delivery of thermal energy to malignant cells upon exposure to an alternating magnetic field. For their therapeutic effect, SaNPs need to accumulate in the tumor. Since the potential accumulation and associated toxicity in normal tissues are an important risk consideration, biodistribution and toxicity were assessed in naïve BALB/c mice.

Matrix-assisted peptide synthesis on nanoparticles.

We report a new method for multistep peptide synthesis on polymeric nanoparticles of differing sizes. Polymeric nanoparticles were functionalized via their temporary embedment into a magnetic inorganic matrix that allows multistep peptide synthesis. The matrix is removed at the end of the process for obtaining nanoparticles functionalized with peptides.

Synthesis and functionalization of persistent luminescence nanoparticles with small molecules and evaluation of their targeting ability.

We have recently reported the design and use of inorganic nanoparticles with persistent luminescence properties. Such nanoparticles can be excited with a UV lamp for 2min and emit light in the near-infrared area for dozen of minutes without any further excitation. This property is of particular interest for small animal optical imaging, since it avoids the autofluorescence of endogenous fluorophores which is one major problem encountered when using fluorescent probes.

Fully synthetic phage-like system for screening mixtures of small molecules in live cells.

A synthetic "phage-like" system was designed for screening mixtures of small molecules in live cells. The core of the system consists of 2 mum diameter cross-linked monodispersed microspheres bearing a panel of fluorescent tags and peptides or small molecules either directly synthesized or covalently conjugated to the microspheres. The microsphere mixtures were screened for affinity to cell line PC-3 (prostate cancer model) by incubation with live cells, and as was with phage-display peptide methods, unbound microspheres were removed by repeated washings followed by total lysis of cells and analysis of the bound microspheres by flow-cytometry.