Applications of magnetotactic bacteria and the magnetosome for cancer treatment.

Applications of magnetotactic bacteria and the magnetosome for cancer treatment. Drug Discov Today. 2020 Jun 16;: Authors: Alphandéry E Abstract Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) synthesize iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs), called magnetosomes, with large sizes leading to ferrimagnetic behavior and a stable magnetic moment at physiological temperature, a chain structure that prevents NP aggregation and promotes a uniform NP distribution, and a mineral core of magnetite/maghemite composition, which can be stabilized by an organic coating. Such properties can favor magnetosome administration to humans under certain optimized nontoxic conditions of fabrication. In this review, I describe the fabrication methods, physicochemical properties, and the antitumor activity of different methods of MTB/magnetosome preparation, highlighting the biocompatibility and excellent antitumor activity of purified nonpyrogenic magnetosome minerals stabilized by a synthetic chemical compound. PMID: 32561298 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Drug Discovery Today - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Drug Discov Today Source Type: research