Therapeutic effect of Fe2O3 nanoparticles combined with magnetic fluid hyperthermia on cultured liver cancer cells and xenograft liver cancers

The therapeutic effect of Fe2O3 nanoparticles combined with magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) on human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and xenograft liver cancer in nude mice is studied. We examined growth and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells treated with MFH containing Fe2O3 nanoparticles at various concentrations (2, 4, 6, and 8 g/liter) for 30-60 min by using MTT, flow cytometry (FCM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We also observed weight and volume inhibitory rates of the tumors of SMMC-7721-bearing nude mice by using animal experiments. The results showed that Fe2O3 nanoparticles combined with MFH could significantly inhibit the proliferation and increase the ratio of apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells, and the effect was dose-dependent. The inhibitory rate was 26.5%, 33.53%, 54.4%, and 81.2%, respectively, and the apoptosis rate was 30.26%, 38.65%, 50.28%, and 69.33%, respectively. Animal experiments showed that tumors became small. The weight inhibitory ratio was 42.10%, 66.34%, 78.5%, and 91.46%, and the volume inhibitory ratio was 58.77%, 80.44%, 93.40%, and 98.30%, respectively. Compared with the control and experimental groups, each group had statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). So, Fe2O3 nanoparticles combined with MFH could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells and also has a significant inhibitory effect on the weight and volume of xenograft liver cancer. However, the mechanism remains to be further investigated.