Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths and the overall 5-year survival rate is less than 17%. Hyperthermia is an alternative approach for the treatment of lung cancer and is associated with fewer side effects. We employed ironoxide nanoparticles in inducing localized hyperthermia in lung cancer cells using a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF). We synthesized, characterized and determined the uptake of dipeptide-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. Further, their ability in inducing localized hyperthermia in PEMF on lung cancer cells was assessed. Results showed nanoparticles are non-cytotoxic and showed enhanced cellular uptake in lung cancer cells. In vivo studies in nude mice lung tumor xenografts confirmed the presence in the tumors. Lung cancer cells pretreated with dipeptide-coated magnetic nanoparticles upon PEMF exposure induced cell death.
Keywords: Iron oxide; PEMF; apoptosis; dipeptide coating; heat shock; hyperthermia; lung cancer.