Investigation of the biodistribution of magnetic nanoparticles in normal mice and in mice bearing HNSCC subcutaneous tumors.

The research is part of a project funded by Regione Toscana (IPERNANO) aiming to develop a nanobioreactor (NBR) for the treatment of solid tumors, based on the association of hyperthermia and chemotherapy. The basic nanotechnological system, NBR developed by Cericol, is constituted by a core of magnetite functionalized with organic ligands and long chains incorporated in biocompatible block-copolymers as PLGA-PEG-COOH (Pat n° WO2008/074804). One of the tumor cellular model used consists of head & neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that overexpress EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptors), related to prognosis of patients and to radiation resistance. EGF is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. One of the tumor cellular model used consists of head & neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that overexpress EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptors), related to prognosis of patients and to radiation resistance. EGF is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. In this work, we have first established the ability of nanobioreactors (NBRs) functionalized with EGF, to specifically interact with HNSCC cells overexpressing the EGFR. Also, we have demonstrated the ability of functionalized NBRs to enter these cells in a EGF-dependent manner. Next, the biodistribution of non-functionalized (naked) NBRs was studied by MRI, in vivo, in normal mice. In a second step, the biodistribution of NBR functionalized with EGF (NBR-EGF) was studied in mice with HNSCC xenograft, testing the hypothesis that NBR-EGF is selectively targeted to cancer cells overexpressing EGFR.