The in vitro and in vivo experimental study of long-circulating superparamagnetic iron oxide liposome nanoparticles as novel MR contrast agent / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate pharmacodynamics of prepared long-circulating superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) liposomes. Methods Control and experimental groups were established after adding SPIO or long-circulating SPIO liposomes as agents. (1)Macrophages experiment in vitro the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell strains were recovered, cultured and seeded in the culture plate at a density of 2.5×105 cells/well until they reached 80%-90% confluence. The intracellular Fe uptake of control and experimental group cells were quantified by Ferrozine assay after incubation with different concentrations of drugs. Factorial design analysis of variance was used as statistics method. Prussian blue staining method was used to detect staining of experimental cells.(2)Drug biodistribution in mice C57BL/6J(n=6) were classified into blank control group (n=2), control group(n=2) and experimental group(n=2).Saline, SPIO and long circulating SPIO were injected via the tail vein in the blank control group, control group and experimental group respectively. Then distribution of drugs in the body was observed by pathological examination.(3) MR imaging of tumor-bearing nude mice 20 BALB/c nude mice bearing lung cancer models were established and classified into control group and experimental group. After administration of drugs, all animals underwent MR scanning. Signal intensities of livers and tumors were measured, SNR-time dynamic curves were drew. Covariance analysis was used to compare post-enhanced SNR at the 12th hour. (4)Cytotoxicity studies (MTT) cytotoxicity of both drugs on human liver cell line HL-7702 was studied, and statistically analyzed using factorial design analysis of variance. Results (1) Macrophages experiment in vitro The nanoparticle uptake by macrophage cells evaluated by ferrozine assay showed the uptake of blank SPIO was higher than long-circulating SPIO liposomes. Compared with the blank control group, there was strong blue staining in the macrophages with Prussian staining in the control group and little blue staining in the experimental group. (2) Drug biodistribution in mice for blue stained cells composed of iron particles, the amounts in the liver, spleen, lung, kidney of the control group were more than those in the experimental group. (3) MR imaging of tumor-bearing nude mice the non-enhanced SNR of livers and tumors in the control group and experimental group were 31.47 ± 0.56, 30.89 ± 1.41, 58.41 ± 0.61, 58.44 ± 1.08, respectively. After injecting of contrast agents, SNR of livers and tumors in the control group and experimental group were 17.00 ± 0.96, 22.29 ± 0.73, 58.50 ± 0.63, 52.47 ± 1.18, respectively. The covariance analysis showed that SNR of the livers in the control group after 12 hours was significantly lower than the experimental group (F=167.022, P=0.000); while the SNR of the tumors in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (F=266.106, P=0.000).(4) Cytotoxicity of nanoparticles by MTT method: the viability of HL-7702 cells tend to decrease with the increase of Fe concentration. Cytotoxicity in the long-circulating SPIO liposomes was lower than the SPIO(F=2256.204,P=0.000). Conclusions Long-circulating SPIO liposomes we prepared reveal suitable sizes, even distribution, and good anti-macrophage ability in vitro and in vivo. They have long circulation characteristic and T2 negative enhancement effect in the transplanted lung cancers, while they still maintain low cytotoxicity.