Iron oxide nanoparticles inhibit tumour growth by inducing pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization in tumour tissues

Nat Nanotechnol. 2016 Nov;11(11):986-994. doi: 10.1038/nnano.2016.168. Epub 2016 Sep 26.

Abstract

Until now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved iron supplement ferumoxytol and other iron oxide nanoparticles have been used for treating iron deficiency, as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging and as drug carriers. Here, we show an intrinsic therapeutic effect of ferumoxytol on the growth of early mammary cancers, and lung cancer metastases in liver and lungs. In vitro, adenocarcinoma cells co-incubated with ferumoxytol and macrophages showed increased caspase-3 activity. Macrophages exposed to ferumoxytol displayed increased mRNA associated with pro-inflammatory Th1-type responses. In vivo, ferumoxytol significantly inhibited growth of subcutaneous adenocarcinomas in mice. In addition, intravenous ferumoxytol treatment before intravenous tumour cell challenge prevented development of liver metastasis. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and histopathology studies showed that the observed tumour growth inhibition was accompanied by increased presence of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages in the tumour tissues. Our results suggest that ferumoxytol could be applied 'off label' to protect the liver from metastatic seeds and potentiate macrophage-modulating cancer immunotherapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Polarity / drug effects
  • Female
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide / chemistry
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / therapeutic use
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / methods

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide