Journal Article

Real-time tracking of delayed-onset cellular apoptosis induced by intracellular magnetic hyperthermia

Southern, Paul, Thanh, Nguyễn Thị Kim, Nesbitt, Stephen A, Pankhurst, Quentin A, Ortega, Daniel, Blanco-Andujar, Cristina

2016

Overview

To assess cell death pathways in response to magnetic hyperthermia. Human melanoma cells were loaded with citric acid-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles, and subjected to a time-varying magnetic field. Pathways were monitored in suspensions and in monolayers using fluorophores to report on early-stage apoptosis and late-stage apoptosis and/or necrosis. Delayed-onset effects were observed, with a rate and extent proportional to the thermal-load-per-cell. At moderate loads, membranal internal-to-external lipid exchange preceded rupture and death by a few hours (the timeline varying cell-to-cell), without any measurable change in the local environment temperature. Our observations support the proposition that intracellular heating may be a viable, controllable and nonaggressive treatment for human pathological conditions.

• Publisher: Future Medicine Ltd,Future Medicine
• Subject: Acids / Apoptosis / Apoptosis - radiation effects / Cell death / cell death pathways / Cell Line, Tumor / Cellular Biology / Computer Systems / Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation / Fever / Heat / human melanoma cells / Humans / Hyperthermia / Hyperthermia, Induced - methods / Life Sciences / Magnetic Fields / magnetic hyperthermia / magnetic nanoparticles / Magnetite Nanoparticles - radiation effects / Medical Physics / Melanoma / Melanoma - pathology / Melanoma - therapy / Microscopy / Nanoparticles / Physics / Radiation Dosage / Stem cells / Subcellular Processes / Time Factors / Treatment Outcome