Nanoengineered neutrophils integrated with magnetic nanoparticles for T₂-weighted magnetic resonance imaging-guided enhanced magnetic hyperthermia therapy of pancreatic tumor

Abstract

In recent years, magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT), recognized as a clinically promising anticancer treatment, has focused on enhancing therapeutic outcomes in tumor management, such as optimizing magnetic nanoparticle accumulation within tumor microenvironments and developing synergistic combination approaches with other therapies. Herein, we developed nanoengineered neutrophils (NE) by loading magnetic nanoparticles (FPP) onto healthy-derived NE, designated as FPPN. The combination of FPP's pronounced T₂-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and superior magnetothermal efficiency with the high tumor-targeting and cancer-killing activity of NE successfully achieved the synergistic implementation of MHT and NE. Under the guidance of T₂-weighted MRI, the accumulation of FPPN within the tumor site demonstrated a significant enhancement compared with free FPP. Under exposure to alternating magnetic fields, the thermal energy produced by FPP and FPPN could ablate tumor cells directly. Intriguingly, mitochondria within NE exhibit significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) under magnetothermal activation, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy and enabling synergistic tumor treatment through the combination of MHT and NE-mediated ROS. This therapeutic strategy not only highlighted the significant potential of nanoengineered NE for highly efficient MHT but also established a novel therapeutic platform for precision-targeted treatment of deep-seated tumors.

Keywords

magnetic nanoparticles / magnetothermal / MRI-guided / nanoengineered neutrophil / pancreatic tumor

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2025 The Author(s). Interdisciplinary Medicine published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University.