Hybrid Radiobioconjugated Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-Based Nanoparticles for Multimodal Cancer Therapy

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are widely used for biomedical applications for their outstanding properties such as facile functionalization and doping with different metals, high surface-to-volume ratio, superparamagnetism, and biocompatibility. This study was designed to synthesize and investigate multifunctional nanoparticle conjugate to act as both a magnetic agent, anticancer immunological drug, and radiopharmaceutic for anticancer therapy. The carrier, ¹⁶⁶Ho doped iron oxide, was coated with an Au layer, creating core-shell nanoparticles ([¹⁶⁶Ho] Fe₃O₄@Au. These nanoparticles were subsequently modified with monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Tmab) to target HER2+ receptors. We describe the radiobioconjugate preparation involving doping of a radioactive agent and attachment of the organic linker and drug to the SPIONs’ surface. The size of the SPIONs coated with an Au shell measured by transmission electron microscopy was about 15 nm. The bioconjugation of trastuzumab onto SPIONs was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, and the amount of two molecules per one nanoparticle was estimated with the use of radioiodinated [¹³¹I]Tmab. The synthesized bioconjugates showed that they are efficient heat mediators and also exhibit a cytotoxic effect toward SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells expressing HER2 receptors. Prepared radiobioconjugates reveal the high potential for in vivo application of the proposed multimodal hybrid system, combined with magnetic hyperthermia and immunotherapy against cancer tissues.