Magnetic nanoparticles navigate therapeutic genes through the body

March 05, 2009

PTB measures the pinpointed transport of therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases

Health professionals send genes and healthy cells on their way through the bloodstream so that they can, for example, repair tissue damage to arteries. But do they reach their destination in sufficient quantities? Scientists of the PTB have developed a highly sensitive measuring method with which the efficiency of this therapy can be investigated: Small magnetic particles which are situated on the planted gene or on the planted cell can with the aid of an external magnetic field be specifically directed to the location of the damage. There the researchers determine, accurate to the picogram per cell, the quantity of the magnetic material - and thus also the quantity of the therapeutically effective genes or cells. In a joint study with the University of Bonn it became clear: By means of the magnetic method it is possible to dramatically increase the efficiency of the gene transfer in comparison to the non-magnetic method.

Magnetic nanoparticles can support or even enable gene transfer under clinically relevant experimental conditions. For the transduction of human cells, gene carriers were coupled to magnetic nanoparticles and dragged into the cells by magnetic field gradients. The efficiency of magnetic transduction turned out to be much higher than the nonmagnetic procedure. An additional welcome side effect is the "magnetization" of the cells after the incorporation of nanoparticles. This may enable the targeted transport of the cells to regions of interest.

A closer look at the underlying mechanism of magnetic gene transfer was taken by the quantification of the magnetic material that was delivered to the cells. The required highly sensitive measurements in the range of a few picogramm per cell were made by PTB using magnetorelaxometry. The good correlation between measurement data and gene transfer encourages to use magnetorelaxometry for monitoring the efficiency of gene and cell transfer, possibly even in vivo.

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)

Magnetic Nanoparticles
by Sergey P. Gubin (Editor)

This interdisciplinary approach to the topic brings together reviews of the physics, chemistry, fabrication and application of magnetic nanoparticles and nanostructures within a single cover. With its discussion of the basics as well as the most recent developments, and featuring many examples of practical applications, the result is both a clear and concise introduction to the topic for beginners and a guide to relevant comprehensive physical phenomena and essential technological applications for experienced researchers.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: From Fabrication to Clinical Applications
by Nguyen TK Thanh (Editor), Mostafa A. El Sayed (Editor)

Offering the latest information in magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) research, Magnetic Nanoparticles: From Fabrication to Clinical Applications provides a comprehensive review, from synthesis, characterization, and biofunctionalization to clinical applications of MNPs, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. This book, written by some of the most qualified experts in the field, not only fills a hole in the literature, but also bridges the gaps between all the different areas in this field. Translational research on tailored magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications spans a variety of disciplines, and putting together the most significant advances into a practical format is a challenging task. Balancing clinical applications with the underlying theory and foundational...

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Properties, Synthesis and Applications
by Beate Acklin (Editor), Edon Lautens (Editor)

Magnetic nanoparticles have been attracting much interest in the fields of advanced biological and medical applications such as drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, and array-based assaying as well as in the fields of separation science. This book presents current research in the study of the properties, synthesis and applications of magnetic nanoparticles. Topics include the synthesis of organic based magnetic nanoparticles-polymers and calixarene based magnetic nanoparticles; ferromagnetism in carbon and boron nitride nanostructures; and, computer simulations, chemical syntheses and biomedical diagnosis using magnetic nanoparticles.

Magnetic Particle Imaging: A Novel SPIO Nanoparticle Imaging Technique (Springer Proceedings in Physics)
by Thorsten M. Buzug (Editor), Jörn Borgert (Editor)

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a novel imaging modality. In MPI superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are used as tracer materials. The volume is the proceeding of the 2nd international workshop on magnetic particle imaging (IWMPI). The workshop aims at covering the status and recent developments of both, the instrumentation and the tracer material, as each of them is equally important in designing a well performing MPI. For instance, the current state of the art in magnetic coil design for MPI is discussed. With a new symmetrical arrangement of coils, a field-free line (FFL) can be produced that promises a significantly higher sensitivity compared with the standard arrangement for a FFP. Furthermore, the workshop aims at presenting results from phantom and pre-clinical studies.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Particle Science, Imaging Technology, and Clinical Applications
by T. M. Buzug (Author), T. M. Buzug (Editor), J. Borgert (Editor), T. Knopp (Editor), S. Biederer (Editor), T. F. Sattel (Editor), M. Erbe (Editor), K. Ludtke-Buzug (Editor)

In these proceedings, an overview on recent results of a novel imaging modality based on magnetic nanoparticles is given. This imaging concept, called magnetic particle imaging (MPI), falls into the category of functional imaging and, hence, the magnetic nanoparticles may serve as tracers of metabolic processes. Today, there are interesting challenges within the practical set-up of a scanning device and also in the design of new MPI nanoparticles. During this workshop at the University of Lubeck in 2010, scientists from chemical engineering, biology, electrical engineering, physics, computer sciences and medicine discussed the promises and challenges of MPI.

Surface Effects in Magnetic Nanoparticles (Nanostructure Science and Technology)
by Dino Fiorani (Editor)

A collection of articles on different approaches to the investigation of surface effects on nanosized magnetic materials, with special emphasis on magnetic nanoparticles. The book provides an overview of progress in the field through recent results.

Colloidal Magnetic Fluids: Basics, Development and Application of Ferrofluids (Lecture Notes in Physics)
by Stefan Odenbach (Editor)

Research into the fascinating properties and applications of magnetic fluids - also called ferrofluids - is rapidly growing, making it necessary to provide, at regular intervals, a coherent and tutorial account of the combined theoretical and experimental advances in the field. This volume is an outgrow of seven years of research by some 30 interdisciplinary groups of scientists: theoretical physicists describing the behaviour of such complex fluids, chemical engineers synthesizing nanosize magnetic particles, experimentalist measuring the fluid properties and mechanical engineers exploring the many applications such fluids offer, in turn providing application-guided feedback to the modellers and requests for the preparation of new fluid types to chemists, in particular those...

Biomagnetism and Magnetic Biosystems Based on Molecular Recognition Processes (AIP Conference Proceedings)
by Adrian Ionescu (Editor), J.A.C. Bland (Editor)

All papers have been peer-reviewed. Point-of-care medical diagnostics could be accelerated by a new generation of lab-on-drip devices exploiting nanoscale magnetic effects. The Conference encompassed biomagnetism, biomolecular sensors based on manipulation/detection of magnetic entities and the associated surface chemistry. It publicized research highlights in nanomagnetism, biology, medicine, chemical engineering, and bioinformatics, while establishing vital links between workers in the emerging interdisciplinary field of “Biomagnetronic”.

Magnetic Pulsed Compaction of Nanosized Powders (Nanotechnology Science and Technology)
by G. Sh. Boltachev (Author), K. A. Nagayev (Author), S. N. Paranin (Author), A. V. Spirin (Author), N. B. Volkov (Author)

The magnetic pulsed compaction, based on a pulsed magnetic field force action on conductors, is one of the effective methods of nanopowder compaction. In this book, the authors present a theoretical description of the magnetic pulsed compaction processes. The powder compaction is described within the continual approach of plastic hardened porous body. The increase of the powder yield stress is defined by the empirical laws of hardening, where free parameters are determined via experimental adiabatic curves of the uniaxial compaction.

Nanotechnology for Chemical and Biological Defense
by Margaret Kosal (Author)

The research underpinning this work was intended to better enable an informed national debate and to affect international debate on the potential role and impact of nanotechnology and emerging science on national defense and homeland security. The text highlights the findings and conclusions from the study and accompanying workshop as well as identifies research directions in basic and applied science that may foster transformational breakthroughs in nanotechnology-based chemical and biological countermeasures. This ambitious effort serves manifold objectives, including the following: • To give policymakers a strategic roadmap to provide a basis for research direction decisions; • To provide an overview of the current and future challenges, both for traditional military operations and...