Radiation enhanced efficiency of combined electromagnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy of lung carcinoma using cisplatin functionalized magnetic nanoparticles.

The effect of trimodality treatment consisting of hyperthermia, cisplatin and radiation was investigated in two non-small lung carcinoma cell lines with different sensitivities to cisplatin. Hyperthermia treatment was performed using heat released via Neél and Brown relaxation of magnetic nanoparticles in an alternating magnetic field. Radiation with dose 1.5 Gy was performed after 15 min electromagnetic hyperthermia and cisplatin treatment. Electromagnetic hyperthermia enhanced cisplatin-induced radiosensitization in both the cisplatin-sensitive H460 (viability 11.2 +/- 1.8 %) and cisplatin-resistant A549 (viability 14.5 +/- 2.3 %) lung carcinoma cell line. Proposed nanotechnology based trimodality cancer treatment may have therefore important clinical applications.

Principles of magnetodynamic chemotherapy.

Basic principles of a novel method of cancer treatment are explained. Method is based on the thermal activation of an inactive prodrug encapsulated in magnetoliposomes via Neél and Brown effects of inductive heating of subdomain superparamagnetic particles to sufficiently high temperatures. This principle may be combined with targeted drug delivery (using constant magnetic field) and controlled release (using high-frequency magnetic field) of an activated drug entrapped in magnetoliposomes. Using this method drug may be applied very selectively in the particular site of organism and this procedure may be repeated several times using e.g. stealth magnetoliposomes which are circulating in a blood-stream for several days. Moreover the magnetoliposomes concentrated by external constant magnetic field in tumor vasculature may lead to embolic lesions and necrosis of a tumor body and further the heat produced for thermal activation of a drug enhances the effect of chemotherapy by local hyperthermic treatment of neoplastic cells.

Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Scoparia dulcis Extract.

We studied the scavenging capabilities of an extract of Scoparia dulcis (a cosmopolitan weed widespread in Laos and Vietnam) for 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and measured hemoglobin-catalyzed linoleic acid peroxidation with an oxygen electrode. Our results demonstrated strong antioxidant activity corresponding to mitigation of the generation of hydroxyl radicals, a possible rationale for the observed therapeutic effects of this weed.

Resonant absorption of ultrasound energy as a method of HIV destruction.

A new method for eradicating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other enveloped viruses is proposed. The method is based on the highly symmetric structure (e.g. icosahedral) of many viruses, which leads to a well-defined resonant frequency of ultrasound in the GHz range and which may be specifically absorbed by these structures and may subsequently lead to their irreversible damage.

Blood-specific whole-body electromagnetic hyperthermia.

On the basis of the physical properties of magnetic fluids a new technique of whole-body hyperthermia is proposed. Subdomain dextran stabilized magnetite particles injected into the blood-stream can be efficiently heated using an external high-frequency magnetic field, which allows rapid and controllable delivery of heat to the patient's blood, which may be useful for the treatment of cancer and AIDS.

Selective treatment of neoplastic cells using ferritin-mediated electromagnetic hyperthermia.

A new method of cancer treatment is proposed, based on the unique magnetic properties of ferritin iron core which, in alternating magnetic field of frequency approximately 100 kHz, is easily heated to temperatures sufficiently high to destroy neoplastic cells containing an excess of this protein, without damaging the normal cells.

Gene transfer-mediated intracellular photodynamic therapy.

The main limitation of photodynamic therapy is a very short penetrance length of the light in tissues. To overcome this shortcoming, a new method is proposed, where first a gene encoding protein luciferase is delivered using, e.g. adenovirus vector to the neoplastic cells and, after its expression, the photosensitizer, which should be activated, together with luciferin are injected to the organism. After their accumulation in the cancer cells, the photosensitizer activation is accomplished via light produced by chemiluminiscent reaction of luciferase and luciferin.

Activation of hematoporphyrin in alternating magnetic field: possible implications for cancer treatment.

A new mechanism of cell damage by alternating magnetic field with hematoporphyrin is described. C6 glioblastoma cell suspensions were exposed to an alternating magnetic field with frequency 180 kHz up to 60 min in the presence of hematoporphyrin in H2O and in D2O. The results presented suggest that an alternating magnetic field is able to activate hematoporphyrin, and this method may be a basis for cancer treatment.