We previously identified a novel nanomagnetic particle, N,N'-bis(salicylidene)
ethylenediamine iron [
Fe(Salen)].
Fe(Salen) not only shows antitumor effects but also magnetic properties. We found that
Fe(Salen) can be used for magnet-guided
drug delivery and visualization of accumulated
drug by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of its magnetism. In addition,
Fe(Salen) can generate heat by itself when exposed to an alternating current magnetic field (AMF), resulting in a
hyperthermia effect. Herein, we partly elucidated the antitumor mechanism of
Fe(Salen) and carried out an i.v. repeated dose toxicity study to decide the therapeutic amount. Furthermore, we evaluated the antitumor effect of selective
intra-arterial injection or i.v. injection of
Fe(Salen) by
catheter and the
hyperthermia effect of
Fe(Salen) when exposed to AMF in vivo. We used a rabbit model grafted with VX2 cells (rabbit
squamous cell carcinoma) on the right leg.
Intra-arterial injection of
Fe(Salen) showed a greater antitumor effect than did i.v. injection. The combination of
Fe(Salen)
intra-arterial injection and AMF exposure showed a greater antitumor effect than did either
Fe(Salen) or
methotrexate (MTX) without AMF exposure, suggesting that AMF exposure greatly enhanced the antitumor effect of
Fe(Salen) by arterial injection by
catheter. This is the first report that the effectiveness of
Fe(Salen) was evaluated in the point of administration route; that is, selective
intra-arterial injection by
catheter. Taken together, these results indicate a new administration route; that is, selective arterial injection of
Fe(Salen) by
catheter, and the development of a new strategy of simultaneous
hyperthermia-
chemotherapy in the future.