Iron oxide nanoparticles loaded with Deferasirox in cancer therapy

Two broad strategies in the use of iron chelators in cancer treatment have been explored. The first has been using iron chelators to reduce the iron level in cancer cells. Cancer cells typically require more iron than normal cells to mediate their generally rapid DNA synthesis and growth. Second, more recent strategy has been using chelators that help the redox cycling of iron to generate cytotoxic ROS within tumors. Both methods are currently being pursued. According to these strategies [1- 2], the present study has reported the synthesis of iron oxide-based deferasirox (DFX) loaded nanoparticles (Fe3O4@DFX). The surface of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPS) was first coated with (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and then was linked with deferasirox via the amidation reaction between–NH2 and –COOH to form a well-dispersed surface functionalized biocompatible MNPs. The obtained nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by various spectroscopic and microscopic methods such as SEM, FT-IR, TGA, and VSM. The cytotoxicity of Fe3O4@DFX was screened for antitumor activity against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), human cervix epithelial carcinoma (HeLa), human colon cancer cell line (HT-29), human leukemia cell line (K-562), mouse neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro-2a), mouse fibroblast L-929 cell line and cisplatin used as a comparative standard by MTT assay. Obtained results provide experimental evidence that magnetite nanoparticles loaded with deferasirox induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines. Also, flow cytometry results confirm that investigated compound show a high population of apoptotic cell (69.3%) and 1.2-fold higher than cisplatin (58.1%) at the same concentration and could induce apoptosis of human leukemia cell line (K-562).