Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Reduce Malignant Breast Tumors, Says Brazilian Study

This content was published on April 24, 2023 – 17:12

April 24, 2023 – 17:12

Rio de Janeiro, April 24 (EFE).- Researchers from the Brazilian state Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) have shown that it is possible to prevent the growth of malignant breast tumors by altering the profile of macrophages, one of the types of cells that defend the body, using iron oxide nanoparticles.

The study, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics and released Monday by the largest scientific reference center in Brazil and Latin America, revealed that the method was able to reduce tumor mass in mice by almost 50%.

According to the Fiocruz researchers, around 50% of the tumor mass is made up of macrophages and the activities of these types of cells directly influence cancer prognosis.

There are two main types of macrophages. The M2, with more anti-inflammatory characteristics and generally related to greater tumor permissiveness, and the M1, which are pro-inflammatory and more effective in limiting tumor progression.

The researchers’ proposal was to reprogram the profile of M2 macrophages in the tumor environment, transforming them into M1, in order to inhibit tumor development.

The iron oxide nanoparticles used in the study, which are biocompatible, inexpensive and rapidly synthesized, which facilitates scale production, were produced at Fiocruz laboratories in the state of Minas Gerais, through a partnership with the Physics Department of the Federal University of Pernambuco, which originally developed the magnetic compound.

To arrive at the results, the researchers conducted three experiments.

In the first, a special artificial system was used to bring breast tumor cells into contact with macrophages. By incubating the two cells, it was found that the tumor cells multiplied. Later, the team introduced the nanoparticles and found that the tumor cells died.

With these results, the researchers carried out a second experiment using mice, which were injected with tumor cells and nanoparticles, leaving them under observation for 21 days.

At the end of the period, the team found a reduction of almost 50% in the tumor mass of the mice exposed to the nanoparticle, compared to the animals that did not receive the treatment.

The third experiment, which was a three-dimensional multicellular model, simulated the tumor microenvironment and reconfirmed the results obtained in the two previous experiments.

For the leader of the Cellular and Molecular Immunology group and coordinator of the project, Carlos Eduardo Calzavara, the results open the door to new research that may allow the emergence of complementary strategies for the treatment of breast cancer.

“The study is a starting point. New research focusing on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics is still needed to assess a number of relevant issues, such as physiological effects, mechanisms of action, side effects, absorption time of drugs and biodistribution in the body, among other aspects”, highlights the coordinator, quoted in a statement. EFE

with/ed/szg

© EFE 2023. The redistribution and redistribution of all or part of the contents of the Efe services is expressly prohibited, without the prior and express consent of Agencia EFE SA