Magnetic Epidermal Growth Factor Conjugate for Targeted Delivery to Grafted Tumor in Mouse Model

Magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with epidermal growth factor (MNP-EGF conjugates) were investigated by magnetic resonance (MR) relaxometry, on-chip quasielastic light scattering and magnetophoresis in aqueous dispersions and by MR imaging in phantom and in vivo models. MNP-EGF conjugates were prepared by carbodiimide EGF bonding with NH₂-dextran modified iron oxide MNPs. The coefficients of magnetic relaxation efficiency (R₁,R₂,R₂^*) of MNP-EGF conjugates appeared to be close to the values obtained for nonconjugated MNPs and are correlating with those characteristic for negative contrast agents for MR imaging. MNP-EGF conjugates demonstrated ability of targeting MNPs to EGF receptors in EGF-overexpressed tumors. The feasibility of the MNP-EGF conjugates in diagnostics of certain cancer types was studied by MR imaging using mouse tumor models. It has been shown that intravenous and subcutaneous administration of MNP-EGF conjugates provided an enhancement of MR imaging contrast at the areas of accumulated cancer cells in melanoma mice model.