Magnetoporation: New Method for Permeabilization of Cancerous Cells to Hydrophilic Drugs

Background: In the present study, we investigated the application of pulsed magnetic field (MF) (۳.۵ T, ۱ Hz, ۸ square-wave/۱۶۰ µs) permeabilization on murine breast adenocarcinoma cells when administering bleomycin (BLM) in vivo. Objective: This cross-over study aims to find a noninvasive method to facilitate penetration of hydrophilic anti-cancer drugs through the cancerous cells membrane into the cytosoll in order to minimize the side effects of the chemotherapy treatments of tumors.Material and Methods: In this cross-over study, a total of ۵۰ female Balb/c mice were tumorized via homograft. After about ۲ weeks, magnetic pulses (۳.۵ T, ۱ Hz, ۸ square-wave/۱۶۰ µs) were applied to tumor-bearing mice ۳ min after intratumoral BLM solution injection. Tumor volume was measured every ۴۸ h during ۲۲ days. Results: The results showed that the difference between the BLM plus ۳.۵ T MF group versus the sham control or sham MF groups was significant. Uptake of BLM molecules by tumoral cells in the BLM plus ۳.۵ T MF group versus the BLM control group was ۷- folds higher that this result was statistically insignificant (p <۰.۰۵, SEM=۲۶۶.۸۶۷۶, analysis of variance). Conclusion: Significant cell permeabilization to BLM requires greater MF strength or exposure time. Further investigation is necessary.