Influence of Magnetic Nanoparticle Degradation in the Frame of Magnetic Hyperthermia and Photothermal Treatments

This work aims at studying how the transformations that magnetic nanoparticles suffer in vivo affect their heating properties in the frame of hyperthermia treatments. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (approximate to 13 nm) with two different coatings [PMAO (polymaleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) and DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid)] have been subjected to an accelerated degradation in a medium simulating lysosome conditions. The particles physicochemical properties (size, size distribution, and magnetic properties) have been followed over the degradation process along 24 days. It was found that DMSA-coated particles degraded much faster than PMAO-coated ones. In addition, their heating properties under both the exposure to an alternating magnetic field or a near infrared light have been tracked along this degradation processes, assessing how the changes in their physicochemical properties affect their heating capacity. Along the degradation procedure, a stronger decrease of the particles heating properties has been observed in the frame of magnetic hyperthermia measurements, in comparison with the photothermal ones. Finally, the PMAO-coated particles have been selected for a degradation study in vivo after intratumoral administration. Interestingly, although the number of particles decreases with time in the tissue, the size and size distribution of the particles do not change significantly over time. This work is especially relevant in the frame of the design of in vivo hyperthermia treatments using magnetic nanoparticles as it would provide fundamental clues regarding the need of repeated doses or the possible use of a single administration depending on the treatment duration.